Cryptic Knives
by Sweet Roses
Summary: 3 pendants of power were made to protect Gaea. However, the most powerful was stolen but lost years ago. Now a new fear has spread its wings when Dilandau takes the bearer of the pendant but he can’t get at the pendant.
1. Anything but Ordinary

Chapter One  
  
Anything but ordinary  
  
*****  
  
'All right Delphi, one, two, one, two, right that's good. Swing harder and put more force. Move your feet.' A relatively old man was sword fight fighting with a girl no more than thirteen. He swung his sword down on hers and she pushed back with all her might, but he still seemed to push her backwards still. He ran his sword up hers in a circular pattern, winding her arms in the same outline and then he knocked the sword out of her hand. When she bent down to retrieve it, he placed the tip of his sword near her neck.  
  
'Oh forget it. I'll never be able to fight. Never!' Delphi stood and turned her back on her father, crossing her arms.  
  
She had very blue eyes and jaw length blonde hair. Her usually puffy lips were pursed and her tanned complexion was starting to become sun dyed. She wore dress that was a dirty-blue pastel in color that had lace material and ribbons draping from it. The dress went down to her ankles and up to her collarbones one either side. From there it went down in a U shape meeting at her chest bone. The sleeves were long and fanned out at her elbows. She wore a very small grayish-emerald colored pendant around her neck that was given to her by her mother.  
  
'None sense. You've improved thoroughly.'  
  
'Father, why do I have to learn how to fight anyway? I'm a woman. They don't fight.' She looked towards the ground and her father grabbed her face roughly, bringing her closer to him.  
  
'They'll be none of that. Do you understand.' Delphi's eyes were wide with confusion and fear. She did her best to nod and then her father released her. Delphi stumbled backwards clutching where her father and gripped her. She could feel that his white fingerprints were still there.  
  
'I'm sorry Delphi, but you have to understand a girl needs to learn how to fight. I don't know about other places but I want you to be able to be self- reliant and not depend on some man to protect you.' Her father told her sincerely. He sat down on a log and Delphi stared at him, still clutching her face.  
  
'You hurt me.' She said, dropping her hands to her side. Tears welled up in her eyes and then started to fall freely down her cheeks. He looked up at her; she was just standing there crying. He got up and wrapped his arms around her and she flung hers around his and cried harder.  
  
'I love you Delphi, don't forget that all right.' He said. She sniffled and nodded into his chest. 'I want you to be able to protect yourself. One day you will need to.' She nodded again.  
  
'Can we go home?' She asked sickly.  
  
'Yes.' He said.  
  
*****  
  
Delphi was lying in bed when she heard the noise. It was long into the night, but it wasn't near dawn yet. She crawled out of bed and approached the window and looked past the houses to the field and then the forest that stretched out to the vast horizon. She felt drawn out there so she grabbed her cloak and slippers and slipped through her window. She made her way to the stables and got her horse, Kylie ready to go. She climbed up on the horse and it started towards the field.  
  
'Are you coming?' She heard a voice inside her head. She looked around frantically and made the horse run faster. 'I'm waiting for you,' her eyes narrowed and she forced her horse to speed up. 'At the end.'  
  
Something crossed paths with the horse and spooked it, which cause it to stand on her hind legs. Out of shock, Delphi let go of the reins and tumbled backwards off the horse as it ran off towards the town. She landed with a thud on the ground and cringed, letting out a scream of pain.  
  
A cloaked figure started to approach Delphi, who was at the moment clutching her side, was facing the other way. The figure drew back part of the cloak and rested a hand on the hilt of a sword. Delphi's eyes were clenched tightly when she heard the metal sliding against metal. She rolled over and saw a sword raised above a dark cloaked figure. The sword came down and caught the material in her dress, cutting her side a little bit. The figure went to grab his sword but there was a loud bang and the ground shook. It came again, and again faster and faster.  
  
Delphi looked beyond the cloaked figure and saw a red dragon stomping towards the two. The figure turned around and grabbed his sword from out of the ground and turned around, prepared to fight. The figure, however, was too late as the dragon's tail came sweeping around and cut him in half at the middle. The two pieces fell on the ground and the dragon eyed Delphi. She stopped breathing and closed her eyes again. She felt the heat and she heard the dragon moving slightly closer, or was it moving away? She opened her eyes and saw that the dragon's tail was rising in the air and was going to attack again.  
  
Then it came crashing down on her. She crushed her eyes closed tightly and when she didn't feel impact she opened her eyes. An orb had protected her from the damage the tail would have done. The orb was almost a dusty emerald color and was glowing quite radiantly. The dragon's tail retracted and then slammed down over and over again on the orb.  
  
Delphi didn't know what to do. She was afraid to move, afraid to breath, afraid that if she tried to run the orb would disappear and she would surely die. She huddled together and then she started to cry while the dragon continued to pound on the sort of magic shell that was covering her.  
  
*****  
  
Well please tell me what you think of the first chapter ok. uh the next few chapters will get better I promise.  
  
Please review. It's greatly appreciated ok. Well bai, bai Thanks for reading.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses 


	2. Hit Or Miss

Chapter 2  
  
Hit or Miss  
  
*****  
  
Delphi was lying on her bed the morning. She wasn't under the covers and still had her dust-brown cloak on. She was also missing one slipper. The Sun was shining through her window and beating down in her face. Her face scrunched up and she swatted at the sun, trying to make it go away. She opened her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose.  
  
Sitting up, she stretched and made a smacking noise with her mouth and stood up. Her back was a little sore and so was her arm. She finally realized that she was only wearing one slipper when her foot started to get a little cold and she was wearing her cloak when she was in bed. She pulled the cloak over her head and hung it up on the floor. She got dressed, putting on a sea-foam green sundress that went down to her mid-shin. Then she left the room as she did so.  
  
'Dad?' she called. Her voice echoed throughout the halls of her house. She distorted her features into confusion and she called again. 'Dad?' She knocked on her father's door. 'Are you still sleeping?' she asked as she opened his door. However, there was no one in there and the sheets were twisted and falling off the bed. 'That's strange.'  
  
Delphi walked into the kitchen and she noticed that nothing was dirty in the kitchen. She went over to the door and slipped on her shoes and walked outside crossing her arms as she did so.  
  
'Hey Delphi.' A boy said running up to her. She looked down at the boy with a slight frown.  
  
'Hi Serge,' she said her frown turning into a small smile at the boy. He had red hair and was about an inch shorter than her and was taking his dog for a walk. 'You haven't seen my dad have you?'  
  
'Uh, he's by the barn, but don't go over there.'  
  
'Don't be stupid, I've been around horses all my life, a little shit isn't going to scare me.'  
  
'No, James doesn't want you over there.' He said grabbing her wrist quite roughly and yanking her backwards.  
  
'My dad lets me go there every day.' She tugged her wrist out of the younger boy's grip and made her way to the barn.  
  
Delphi stomped all the way to the barn and stopped when she smelt something disgusting. She could see files, which was normal, but today there were, what seemed like, billions of them. She made her way forward, swatting in front of her. She felt as if she was stepping in soft mud. She looked down and noticed the dark crimson tinge to it.  
  
'Dad?' she yelled.  
  
'Sweetie, go back to the house.' Her father yelled. She shot her head in the direction and made her way over towards the voice sloshing through the very wet mud underneath her feet.  
  
'What's going-' She stopped in mid-sentence and mid-stride, gawking at the sight in front of her.  
  
A lot of the men in the town were gathered around in the barn at various places doing various things. The back wall of the barn seemed to have been broken and the horses were all mutilated. Most of their body's were found separate from their heads and there were missing body parts. Some of their stomachs had been opened and organs were missing. Some horses legs were ripped off and there were teeth marks on a lot of them.  
  
Delphi felt like she was choking when she came across her horse, Kylie's body, she finally found her voice and screamed. Her father came and dragged her away.  
  
'Delphi listen to me. It's okay; look at me.' Tears were running down her face and he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and made her look at him.  
  
'I know. I'm sorry Delphi, but things like this happen.'  
  
'What things happened?' she mumbled.  
  
'It looked like a dragon attacked the horses last night, although I'm not sure why.'  
  
'This is all my fault.' Delphi cried.  
  
'No it's no ones fault.' He said and tired to bring her in a hug but she pushed back and yelled, 'Yes it is,' and ran back towards her house.  
  
She walked back into her room and picked up her cloak up off the floor, putting it on. Next she went to her desk and grabbed her sword, running back out of the house. She ran to the forest, not stopping once or for anyone.  
  
Delphi collapsed beside a tree and panted, tears still streaming down her face and getting caught in her throat. She unsheathed her sword and started to swing aimlessly at thin air and sometimes trees. She hacked at smaller trees until they would fall over and then continued to fight the invisible enemy. Even though Delphi didn't notice, the chain of the pendant, once big enough to fit over her head started to get smaller. After she had gotten all her anger out she walked home. She had stopped crying a while ago and now she just had the sniffles.  
  
Months went by and Delphi had been determined to practice everyday with her father. He was quite amazed that she was so strong-minded about the sword when she had told him to teach her every day, since it had only been the day before she had said she never wanted to do it again.  
  
As the months went by she had been noticing that her chain was getting noticeably smaller to the point where she couldn't get it over her head. Almost a year and a half had past and the chain stopped shrinking it was tight around her neck, only big enough to put her middle and forefingers through.  
  
Delphi had gotten quite good with handling her sword, but wasn't as powerful as her father. She came close to beating her father, but everytime, he would win. She always figured that she would beat him someday and she was going to try as hard as she could. If she could beat her father, she knew that she could protect the town and the people she loved from intrusions or attacks.  
  
*****  
  
'Happy Birthday sweetheart.' Delphi's father came and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek again and again.  
  
'Dad.' She said laughing a bit.  
  
'Seventeen. You're getting older.' Delphi smiled and looked down. 'Come with me, I have your birthday gift outside.'  
  
'Dad, I told you I was good this year, you didn't need to get me anything.' She said but her father came and grabbed her arm and dragged her outside. He had moved his hands over her eyes so she couldn't see. When they were outside he took his hand away.  
  
Delphi's eyes were wide and she spun around and hugged her father.  
  
'She's beautiful.' She said as she ran over to the horse. Her coat was a sleek black and looked like white paint had splattered her face.  
  
'She's a he, Delphi.'  
  
'Oh.' She said, kissing his velvet nose. 'Does he have a name?' she inquired.  
  
'Damien.' Her father replied. Delphi stroked the horse's nose and kissed it again.  
  
'I figured, after four years, you might want a horse again.'  
  
Delphi nodded, 'Yes, I suppose you're right.' She winced at the memory.  
  
'Delphi!' She heard her name being called and she spun around.  
  
'Hi Serge.'  
  
'Happy Birthday' he said out of breath. He looked down and a slight blush was playing on his cheeks. 'I made this for you.'  
  
'Awe. Thanks Serge.' She opened the box and took out a silver chain. The chain held a small pink stone.  
  
'I made it for you.'  
  
'You made this?' she asked with dearest sincere.  
  
'Just for you.' His blush deepened. 'I mean, I have to go so I'll see you around ok?' Serge turned and ran back to where he was.  
  
'Wait,' she yelled and then turned to her father. 'What's up with that kid?'  
  
'He's liked you ever since I can remember.' Her father said thoughtfully.  
  
'Yeah but, he's so...scared of me.'  
  
'Come on, let's go put the horse away.'  
  
*****  
  
Delphi was sleeping when she heard the sound of shouting. She opened her eyes and listened as hard as she could and it didn't sound like a party. She got up and looked out her window. Coming into the town looked like to be a mob. She seemed to be the only who heard it, there was no one else rushing around. She wondered why the watchtower didn't sound off yet.  
  
She opened her window and climbed to the roof. She crawled along it very slowly and then jumped from house to house until she reached the ladder to the watchtower and climbed to the top. She also saw why the bell wasn't rung; the two watchers had about seven arrows between them. She stood right behind it and rang it about twice then she saw about three arrows whizzing by her head. She jumped off the tower and onto the nearest roof and back to her room where her father was all ready in her room.  
  
'Where have you been?' he said worriedly.  
  
'Ringing the bell!' she shouted.  
  
'What? Never mind. Listen to me. I want you to stay here and don't leave. Stay away from the windows and don't make any noise. Just stay here.' He hugged her and then left.  
  
'Dad!' She argued.  
  
'Stay.' He said and then rushed out of the house, partially covered in armor. Delphi rushed to the window and saw him run to the heat of the battle. She knitted her eyebrows together.  
  
'I'll show him. I'm not staying here.' She crawled to her closet and put on the darkest dress she owned, a navy blue. Delphi took a comb and put her hair up. She then crawled into her father's room and took whatever armor he had in there. All that was left was a chest plate that was a little too big and everything else was from when she was little and was too small. She rushed and grabbed her sword and rushed to her dad's window. She climbed out of it and fell into the garden below.  
  
She hid in the shadows as three men ran by. She didn't know who was who so she didn't say anything. Turning around the corner of her house she ran into someone.  
  
'What the-' he shouted. Delphi started wide-eyed at the man who was wearing a light blue and black uniform.  
  
'Uh- bye' she said quickly and turned around and ran. The man ran after her shouting stupid things like 'come back here.' When she turned around the corner of another house she ran into another man.  
  
'Hello' He said. She was about to run but he grabbed her arm and dragged her into him. 'What a nice pendant you have.' He said mockingly as he grinned. Delphi screamed and tugged her arm back. When is was no use she took her sword and hit the man in the head with the hilt and ran for it again. This time, instead of running away from the battle, she managed to run right into it.  
  
Things were starting to burn, people from both sides were falling and she was running around trying to do something. She knew she couldn't just go and kill someone.  
  
'Delphi.' She looked around and then saw her dad looking at her. She looked behind him and saw someone charging at him.  
  
'Dad!' She screamed in a very high-pitched voice and everything seemed to stop around her. The slayer behind him drove the sword through his stomach twice and he fell.  
  
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' She screeched and ran to his side.  
  
'Dad. Daddy...'  
  
'I thought I told you to stay inside.'  
  
'Daddy. I'll help you don't worry.' Delphi said and started to drag him, but he stopped her.  
  
'Go and hide. Don't let them find you.' She felt the hot tears sliding down her dirty face.  
  
'No. Daddy.' An arrow found it's way though his neck and she just stared in shock. She looked up and the slayer was looking at her with dark eyes full of malice and was wearing a satisfied grin. He turned his back on her and started to walk away. She quickly kissed her fathers forehead and grabbed his sword.  
  
In a matter of seconds she ran after the man that had just killed her father. She hadn't stopped screaming, which caused the other man to turn around. Coming from Delphi's pendant was a brilliant white light and he shielded his eyes with his hand just in time to see the sword come crashing down on him. Delphi cut off his left hand that he was using to see her and his head.  
  
Delphi looked at her father's sword sheathed it in her own case. She ran towards the stables and mounted her new horse and headed back out. Once on the horse she unsheathed her sword, going after any target that was wearing black and blue. She guided her horse through the mess of people and stabbed two other individuals before falling off the horse with and arrow in her side.  
  
Delphi was lying on the panting when a man wearing red and black stood over her. He bent down and lifted up her chin and looked at the chain and tried breaking it. This action caused her to gasp in pain as it dug into the skin in the back of her neck. He went to cut her head off but the light that came before didn't allow it. He stood up.  
  
'Get her back to base. I'll deal with her later.'  
  
A man bent down to pick her up and she punched him in the nose and threw dirt in his eyes. The man in read turned around and hit her with the hilt of his sword and she fell back onto her back; eyes slowly closing and everything turned dark for her.  
  
'Now you idiots, get her back.' He said and stomped off. 


	3. Hard Road

READ PLEASE( If you want to read another really, really, REALLY good fan fic, I advise you to go and read "Failed Experiment" by Elijah-wood-mini- fan-club. It has the most superb ending ever, very unexpected. OR her other one which is so funny, "My Escaflowne dream" it may sound stupid but it truly is funny...even though some might list it under toilet humour...but what can ya do?  
  
Also, just to let you know, in this fic, the war never happened...uh the whole Hitomi thing never happened and no one is dead...actually, nothing related to Van, Allen, Hitomi or Escaflowne never happened. In fact just forget about it altogether except for the whole Dilandau story. BTW- Dilandau is seventeen as well and all the slayers.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Hard Road  
  
*****  
  
'I'm starting to get really angry Folken. Why isn't that stupid pendant coming off? It doesn't have a clasp, it won't break and you can't cut her head off. What do you propose we do?' Dilandau was standing in a dimly lit room with Folken, a mostly cloaked figure standing in a room that had many medical utensils in it.  
  
'Maybe show her some hospitality?' Folken suggested with ease.  
  
'Hospitality? She deserves no hospitality, She should be dead right now and I should have that pendant.'  
  
'With all do respect Dilandau, you have the pendant.'  
  
'I also have a weight load to go with it.' He jeered.  
  
'I'm in no mood for your mockery.' Folken said sternly. 'It had to have been big enough to fit over her head at one time, so there must be a way to get it off now.'  
  
'Yes Folken, we all know the logic of it, but we can't just say 'Take the pendant off so we can kill you' now can we?'  
  
'No we can't. Maybe if you show her hospitality, like I said before, and she might take it off. She can't have worn it for so many years and not know how to take it off. She'll take it off, and you'll let her go.'  
  
'Folken, I'm not showing hospitality to anyone. Especially not to a weak, morose female who killed one of my dragon slayers.' His eyes narrowed. 'She will pay for that with her life.' He growled.  
  
'Then do something and don't threaten her everytime you see her. I will try and find away to take it off.'  
  
'Do you even know why it is doing that anyway?' Dilandau leaned up against a wall and crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
'I have a slight idea.' Replied Folken.  
  
'And that would be...' trailed Dilandau.  
  
'The pendant is the third and final piece of the pendants created, it was given to Atlantis, who used it for, well, negative results one might say; and as such, does not want to be forged with the other two.'  
  
'Are you telling me Folken,' Dilandau cut Folken off from saying anything more. 'That this pendant has a mind of its own.'  
  
'I'm not sure but if I can continue; it does not want to be forged for it will lose all of its supreme power. Right now it is helping the girl, but I'm sure it's going to take her over and use her for it's evil.'  
  
'I have no time for your stories Folken. If she's going to stay here, she's going to have to work for me.' Dilandau turned on heel and left Folken's room.  
  
*****  
  
'Miguel.' Dilandau shouted and a dragon slayer with light brown hair drooping down into face stood up from the ground and stepped forward.  
  
'Sir.' He said without facial expression looking straight ahead.  
  
'I want you to go and get that girl and bring her here.'  
  
'Sir.' He said and then left to get the girl. Dilandau was in his thrown with his chin in hand staring at the remaining slayers who were kneeling on the ground.  
  
'Stand up would you.' Dilandau ordered. There was a quick shuffle of feet and sheaths clinking against sheaths.  
  
'Gatti, is there any reports?'  
  
'No sir.' Said a slayer who had teal eyes and sandy blonde hair, his bangs just above his azure eyes.  
  
Dilandau muttered something that sounded a lot like 'useless or hopeless'  
  
*****  
  
'Gut up.' Miguel said tapping the body on the floor with his foot. The body stirred but didn't make movement to get up. 'Get up.' He repeated and the figure made mumbling noises and opened her eyes.  
  
'Why are you kicking me.' she mumbled while rubbing her eyes. Everything was quite blurry when she looked upon Miguel. He bent down and grabbed one of her arms and helped her stand up. She pushed him away and, out of dizziness, fell back down onto the floor.  
  
Miguel was starting to get a little frustrated and started to take out his sword. 'Get up and come with me.' he announced once again.  
  
'What do you want with me? Where are you going to take me.'  
  
'Stand up.' he said more sternly, his voice rising.  
  
'I can't' she said sullenly. Miguel sheathed his sword and grabbed her arm, pulling her up to a standing position. He swung her arm around his neck and held her hand there. His other hand went to her waist and he dragged her out of the room. She couldn't stand very well and was stumbling all over the place. Miguel often gave her looks because every time she would stumble she would drag Miguel down with her.  
  
'It hurts me too.' She muttered to his when she caught sight of the look he gave her. 'You are holding my wrist.'  
  
'Shut up, I didn't ask you to talk.' He stopped and pressed a button; the door in front of them slid opened.  
  
Dilandau was looking at the doors and the lined up slayers looked at the door as well when the two walked through. Dilandau rolled his eyes at her then looked at Miguel.  
  
'Put her down.' He ordered. Miguel brought her over to a wall and leaned her up against it. Dilandau stood up from his throne and waltzed lazily towards her.  
  
'Well what are you waiting for?' Dilandau addressed Miguel, 'get in line with the rest of them.' He ordered bitterly.  
  
'Sir.' He said and went beside another boy with blond hair. Dilandau looked over his slayers unnervingly and in a snort yelled, 'Dismissed.'  
  
In unanimity all slayers said at once, 'Yes Sir.' And walked out of the room leaving the girl and Dilandau alone.  
  
When the room was empty the girl was still leaning on the wall not taking her eyes off the man's sword as he walked around the room. After minutes of pacing back and forth he stopped and turned to her. She looked up to meet his gaze that had the same malice as the man that killed her father. She narrowed her eyes and stuck up her chin, lowering her gaze once again to the floor.  
  
'What's your name?' He didn't really say it as a question, but more as an order. She stayed silent. He gave a slight laugh and asked her again in a wavering voice of anger.  
  
'I'm not going to tell you.' She said simply nodding her head slightly in a superior fashion. Dilandau closed his eyes and asked her once again.  
  
'I'm not going to tell you, you bastard.' She yelled quite steadily. Dilandau whipped out his dagger and advanced on her before she could blink and had stabbed the dagger beside her head at eye line; she screamed as the process happened and closed her eyes.  
  
'I'm not playing games,' he spat out, 'I want to know your name and I want to know it now. Is there a problem?' He was pushing her against the wall with his left hand on her shoulder and his right was still on the dagger. She nodded.  
  
'Delphi' she breathed, her voice showing signs of fear now. She was breathing a little harder but she continued, 'Delphi Lee Malakain.'  
  
'Now,' he started, giving her one more push against the wall before ripping the dagger out of the wall and turning his back on her, walking towards his throne; he stopped however, and turned around and faced her again. 'Until you can get that pendant off-'  
  
'I can't!' She shouted and in a matter of seconds was on the floor holding her cheek.  
  
'Never interrupt me. When I am talking, you are not. When you want to talk you will address me as Lord Dilandau and nothing else. It also depends if I allow you to talk. Not until you can take you pendant off you work for me.' He bellowed ruthlessly.  
  
'I will not work for you.' She argued. 'I will never work for anyone, so you might as well kill me.'  
  
'Pity.' He said plainly.  
  
'What is?' Delphi asked catching Dilandau off guard by the stupid question.  
  
'That you would rather die, but I can't kill you.' He walked over to a table and opened a table drawer and took out a sheathed dagger. 'Do everyone a favor and kill yourself then.' He threw the dagger and her and it slid across the floor until it hit her foot. She picked it up and examined it.  
  
The sheath was very well crafted and consisted of two snakes intertwined widening at the just enough to fit the dagger into. Both of the snakes mouths were open and their tongues were out. On handle of the dagger itself were three jewels. One was an emerald, an opal, and a ruby. The emerald was the smallest and was at the bottom of the three, then came the ruby which was larger than the emerald and the opal was larger than both of them and was at the top, parallel with the snake's tongues.  
  
She took it out of the sheath and the blade seemed to have just been forged. There were no scratches or dents. Dilandau was by his throne pouring himself some wine. Delphi swung her arm over her head, the point of the dagger between her two fingers and threw it.  
  
The dagger went right through the wine glass and hit the wall, clattering on the ground behind the table. Dilandau had now tipped the bottle of wine right side up and dropped the remaining pieces of glass in his hand on the floor. He didn't turn around but she could feel his anger boiling above normal human status.  
  
'Oops.'  
  
Dilandau turned around, his hand was full of red wine and he looked her right in the eye. He brought his gloved hand up to his face and licked his glove; Delphi made a face of absolute disgust and screamed when the bottle he was holding came flying at her. It smashed on the wall above her head and pieces of glass and wine fell into her hair and all over her already soiled dress.  
  
He walked towards her again and she stood up, shaking her head to try and get the glass out. 'There is nothing you can do girl. Either you take the pendant off right now, or you serve me.'  
  
'My names Delphi or did you forget that all ready?'  
  
'Don't be brave; you're being stupid.' He said through his teeth venomously. 'Now it's not a question whether you want to, you don't have a choice. You are going to serve me. You can make it stop any day sweetheart but until I have that pendant in my hand you not going anyway.'  
  
'Well what am I supposed to do? Rub your feet or something ridiculous like that?'  
  
'Maybe.' Dilandau retorted with thought. 'I think I'll just have you follow me around all the time. You know how to polish swords?'  
  
Delphi nodded slightly with a scowl on her face. 'Good, after every practice you can polish the Dragon Slayers swords and if I want, serve me my wine.'  
  
'Anything else.' Delphi mumbled.  
  
'Maybe the occasional foot rub.' He said and snickered pushing past her. Delphi just glared.  
  
Dilandau opened the door to his room and ordered one of the slayers, the one with blonde hair to take her back to her cell. Her walked through and grabbed Delphi's upper arm and took her away from Dilandau's lair.  
  
'You don't seem like a solder to me.' Delphi said when they were walking down the hall. The blonde boy said nothing. 'Why are you a solder?' She asked. Again the blonde said nothing, just looked at her.  
  
'Can you speak? Why do stay with that jerk he's so mean to you guys.' The blonde boy stopped and pushed her up against the wall.  
  
'Why does everyone push me?'  
  
'Never speak about Lord Dilandau that way.' He said quite harshly to her.  
  
'Sorry...I didn't know he was so special.' She said and was tugged carelessly back to her cell. Once there, Chesta tossed her in and then said, 'I'll be back in the morning,' and then left.  
  
The room was quite small and only had a bed and a desk in the room. Delphi sighed and went over to a small bed in the corner and curled up on it. She started to sing no louder than a whisper. 


	4. Orange Clouds, Green Waters

Chapter Four  
  
Orange Clouds, Green Waters  
  
*****  
  
The morning seemed to come too soon for Delphi. It felt as if she had just fallen asleep when the boy with blonde hair came back to wake her up and roughly grabbed her arm. She didn't want to get out of her ball that she was huddled in on the mattress but the tugging didn't stop. She was dragged down many halls until they reached a door. It was just a huge room with nothing in it but a bunch of swords on the wall and a bench or two pushed up at the end of the room. Between the two benches was another door; Delphi presumed that is was a shower room or something like it. She was thrown in the direction of Dilandau and the boy went to meet his comrades in a line and bowed.  
  
Delphi looked behind her as she walked and turned around and almost ran into Dilandau, who was looking directly at her. She had an expression of shock on her face with eyes wide. He merely grunted and turning away from her told his slayers to get up. They stood up and all said in unison, 'Sir.'  
  
'Get busy.' He shouted.  
  
'I really didn't see the point of their so-called "training." Sure I had trained like this with father but it was different. This is an elite group of solders and for training they fight against each other?' she thought. Delphi looked up at Dilandau and thought bitterly again. 'It's not even like he's helping them either. He just stands there sneering disapprovingly.'  
  
'You know,' she started.  
  
'What did I say about talking out of turn?' He said without looking at her.  
  
'Oh sorry Lord,' she prolonged the word lord while bowing a little bit, 'Dilandau. May I have your permission to speak, seeing as how this is a free country?' The whole sentence was weaved with sarcasm.  
  
Dilandau chose to ignore the remark and the sarcasm. 'What?' he asked ruthlessly.  
  
'I was just wondering what the point of this senseless "training" was. They just stand there and hack at each other's sword. Why don't you go and fight against them. Or are you scared that they're stronger than you?' he snorted at that remark.  
  
'Why do you think I am their leader?'  
  
'I can't really find a sensible reason.'  
  
'Mind your tongue girl. Unless you want if cut out.' Dilandau threatened. Delphi sighed and leaned on the wall, slowly sliding down until she was sitting.  
  
'Get up' he commanded her. Delphi looked up and raised an eyebrow.  
  
'Are you serious?'  
  
'Get. Up.'  
  
'All right.' She pushed herself back up and just as she had done that Dilandau started to walk away; so she followed.  
  
Dilandau opened the door and all commotion stopped inside. He paused and then turned back to go inside. 'Did I say stop?' he yelled and slapped the nearest slayer. Delphi peaked and saw a slayer with very light fluffy hair. When Dilandau turned around she quickly looked away. When he walked out he glared at her and then at her pendant around her neck. Looking lower still her noticed the other silver chain and the small jewel attached to it.  
  
When Delphi looked at Dilandau through the corner of her eye, she cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest. He grabbed her arm and shoved her in front of him. She rubbed her arm where people had been grabbing for the past couple of days and was quite serious on the matter that she was actually getting bruises of peoples fingers.  
  
When they came to an intersection, on instinct Delphi went left, but Dilandau jerked her right.  
  
'This way.' He snarled. This time he didn't let her arm go and didn't loosen his grip. It almost seemed as if he was tightening his grip on her arm.  
  
'You can let go now- ow' she said when he tightened his grip even more when she complained. Suddenly he stopped and she staggered into him; he pushed her away and she almost fell. When the door opened he pushed her through first and then he followed.  
  
The place smelled of fresh cloths and Delphi's grandmothers house; she inhaled deeply. The room was a little cramped, it was almost like a walk-in closet than a room.  
  
'Here.' Dilandau handed her a lavender colored tank top and a black pair of pants.  
  
'I'm not wearing that.'  
  
'Wrong, you're not wearing that.' He suggested to her dress. 'Besides, you smell.' Delphi's mouthed gapped and she grabbed the cloths that he threw at her.  
  
'Well, if someone hadn't of pushed me into the mud, poured wine and glass on me AND deprived me any source of water and soap, I wouldn't-' Delphi couldn't even finish the sentence. She didn't want to say that she smelt. 'I wouldn't be lacking it's presence. Now get out so I can change.'  
  
'No.'  
  
'Well I'm not changing then.'  
  
'I can't leave you alone.'  
  
She scrunched up the clothing and stuck up her nose. 'Fine' she snapped. She through down the shirt and fanned out the pants. She slipped off her shoes and started to put on the pants underneath her dress, which was quite difficult. Dilandau watched in amusement as she grunted and struggled trying to get the pants on while trying not to reveal herself.  
  
'They're a bit big.' She said.  
  
'Too bad.'  
  
She sighed quite audibly and bent over and picked up the shirt. She looked at it and then at the amusement in Dilandau's eyes. Her face was stern and she used her index finger and turned it in a clockwise pattern.  
  
'You can stand there all day but I refuse to change my top in front of you. So either turn around or find a nice comfortable place on the floor.'  
  
Dilandau thought about this for a minute. On one hand he didn't want to take orders from a girl and he wasn't all that eager to see a girl with her shirt off either. He didn't want to stay in there while she argued with him either. 'You turn around.' He said. 'I wont look. If I wanted to look, I'd have taken advantage of you a while ago.' he said callously.  
  
'Fine.' She bit spitefully. Narrowing her eyes she turned around and took one final look behind her. Dilandau was looking in a different direction but had his hand on the hilt of his sword. She turned back around and took her dress off. While she was fiddling with her shirt, Dilandau looked back. He noticed a small beauty mark just beside her right shoulder blade above her bra, then she covered it up with the shirt and he quickly turned his head. She turned back around and Dilandau snickered. She stood with her hands on her hips and questioned his unnecessary snort.  
  
'You fill it out in all the wrong places.' He said and then pushed her towards the door. She felt uncomfortable as it is; she was showing a lot of her mid-drift, which was quite uncommon for her. The whole time that she walked back down the hall she felt Dilandau's eyes penetrating through her back and head but everytime she looked back he would just notice it and look at her. She was also trying to cover up her stomach with her hands.  
  
'What was that comment about anyway?' she snapped. Clearly, the comment he had made was really starting to bug her. Dilandau, unfazed, grabbed her upper arm and said, 'you have barely any muscles,' he pocked her quite hard in the stomach and in the ribs. 'Instead, you have those.'  
  
'Touch them and die.'  
  
'I wouldn't make death threats if I were you.'  
  
'Ah ha. That is what is so glorious about that saying. You're not me and therefore your advice has no effect on me.' she shouted turning around, the tiny pink jewel swinging on the long silver chain around her neck. Dilandau followed it with his eyes and then, once again pushed her up against the wall.  
  
'Hey.'  
  
'Shut up.' he whispered and lowered his hand to the silver chain where he grabbed the pink stone and some of the chain and in one tug ripped it off her neck.  
  
'Hey give that back.' She shouted but received a slap in the face. Dilandau was quite shocked that he had hit her. He knew it wasn't the first time, but it was still quite a shock that the pendant didn't stop. 'Only when it is in peril.' He thought and then walked away from her. Out of anger and frustration with him Delphi ran for him and jumped on his back, locking her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.  
  
'Give it back you stupid bastard.' By this time she was shouting and attempting to choke him. The chain went flying from his hand as he tried to pry her arms off him. When that failed her just decided to slam her up against the wall. He did it twice and she gasped out in pain when she lost her breath, but she refused to let go. On the third time when he hit her up against the wall, he managed to hit her head quite hard and put her in a daze where she released him and fell to the floor, eyes glazed. Dilandau made his way back to the training room and told Chesta to go and get Delphi.  
  
Delphi was still lying there in the same position as when she fell the first time, dwelling in lost hope that she was going to be stuck there until he decided to just kill her. Delphi realized that he couldn't kill her and despite what he thought earlier about not being able to hurt her, he could, very much so.  
  
She heard feet pitter-pattering towards her and then she saw them. A pair of feet covered with a pair of black boots and blue armor that covered from the knee down. She also noticed that he was wearing the same type of pants that she was. He crouched down and she noticed that he was the same slayer that took her from her cell and brought her back there.  
  
He grabbed her face and made her look him in the face instead of looking at his feet.  
  
'Can you get up?' He asked quite sweetly. She tried to dislodge her face from his hand but he had a firm grip so she averted her eyes from his instead. He turned his head slightly so that he was looking at her again with cerulean eyes. Delphi knew she could, if she tried, but it was a matter of wanting. Right at the moment she felt quite tired and didn't feel like moving much.  
  
'Well?' he asked in the same low, calm voice. He was still bent down, he still had his hand holding her chin.  
  
'No.' she mumbled, hoping that he would leave her alone so she could just die and get it over with. He removed his hand and stood up, Delphi closed her eyes in relief. A minute later she felt herself being lifted into his arms. She started to struggle a little bit.  
  
'Stop it now.' the sweet voice wasn't completely gone but it was replaced with a more demanding tone. Delphi just gave up hope and fell limp in his arms, letting him take her back to her cell or the training room, which ever it may be it really didn't matter. Her head fell backwards over his forearm and bounced a little with every step he took and her neck was starting to get a little bit sore but just as she thought about it he had reached the training room and placed her down on the floor. She sat there letting her head droop forwards and eventually falling down and going to sleep. The whole time Dilandau didn't even bother with her.  
  
*****  
  
Delphi woke from the cause of a headache. She opened her eyes to a pile of neatly stacked swords. Near the swords were rags and polish. Delphi sat up, grabbed her head and groaned. There was no way she was going to do this.  
  
She stood and made her way over to the door, which wasn't budging at all. She held her head and stumbled back towards the swords that needed to be polished and sat down in front of them. She couldn't understand why he had left her with all the swords, since it was he who could not kill her not she who could not kill him.  
  
She didn't feel like polishing the swords, but she thought that maybe he might give her food if she did. She didn't have much of an appetite because of her father's death, but she remembered when her mother died, she didn't eat and she fell very ill. She was also cold right at the moment. She wished that she had her cloak with her or even her dress that she was wearing. Delphi pushed all thoughts out of her mind and grabbed the first sword. She pulled it out of its sheath, and it didn't seem to need much polishing. She noticed that at the top of the sword, just underneath the handle was the name, Dalet, engraved in the metal.  
  
Not every sword there had their names engraved in a sword. There were only six of them. She made a mental note of them. They were, Dalet, Viole, Guimel, Miguel, Chesta and Gatti. She remembered her encounter with Miguel when she first woke up. She was a little woozy when she woke up because of the hit on her head the night before. As for the rest, she knew that she would one day meet them, not that she really cared or anything.  
  
When she was finished, she literally kicked the piled of swords away from her, flung the cloths in pile somewhere in the middle of the floor and slid the container across the floor. She lay down and slept all most instantly, hoping that she would die in her sleep.  
  
*****  
  
Wow a whole two hours of listening to Beethoven and Mozart. It was great... now that it is practically three in the morning I am going to leave and try and sleep, before I die...Mmm moonlight sonata  
  
Well please review...mush appreciated! : D  
  
Thanks to  
  
Sakura Shinguji-Albatou, Night of the Raven & Darkness-rising for reviewing!  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses  
  
Oh and by the way, don't think anything about the titled of the chapter, I know it is irrelevant to the chapter and frankly I don't give a damn right now so...you get the picture. Thank-ya! 


	5. In This Light

Chapter Five  
  
In This Light  
  
In this light,  
  
I can see the angels,  
  
Burning from the inside out,  
  
They spread their wings to die.  
  
In this light,  
  
I can see the people,  
  
The damaged goods,  
  
They take this life,  
  
It's passing by.  
  
*****  
  
'I'm waiting for you.' Delphi was running in a familiar field. Everything around her was burning and was in slow motion, except her. She kept hearing that awful low, horse whisper repeating in her head. 'I'm waiting for you...at the end.' 'You'll die...in the end.' Every time he said the last part the slow moving flames would try and kiss the sky. Her pendant was swinging around her neck, sometimes hitting her in the face, and her jaw length hair was sometimes getting caught in her face.  
  
She was still running and the eerie whisper was still echoing in her head. 'Are you coming? I'm waiting for you? At the end; you'll die, at the end.' It repeated over and over again. She wasn't going to stop running but something knocked her down. The whispers were gradually getting louder and so were the flames. It sounded as if there was more than one person whispering now. The sentences were not said in unison, but were said seconds after one other had said it. Some repeated themselves and some simply went on to the other sentence.  
  
There was the sound of metal against metal and even though Delphi could only see one sword and one person, the sound of many swords being drawn ricocheted from all directions. His sword was held high and he drove the sword down just as she woke up.  
  
Delphi awoke in the same place where she had fallen asleep and was panting. She really expected someone to put her in her cell or something, not to just leave her on the cool floor. She was shivering before she fell asleep last night was still shivering now, mainly because she was dripping in sweat.  
  
She brought a hand up to her pendant and it was still wrapped securely around her neck. She ran her hands through her shoulder length sandy blonde hair and sighed, while looking around. All the swords were gone, except for the ones on the wall. Delphi was almost positive they were for show.  
  
Delphi stood up and walked over to the door, which was still not budging. 'So are they going to keep me in here forever now?' she complained to herself. She felt really sick and tried not to grieve about her father. She looked over at the benched and her eyes fell on the door.  
  
'If those really are showers, then I can take one' she got up and strolled over to the door. She opened the door and inside was very dark, but smelled of soap. She smiled inwardly and scanned the area with her hands outstretched out for any sort of light fixture. She found two lanterns on a table, one of which she knocked over.  
  
When she finally got the lantern lit she saw that she was right; it was a shower room. Delphi stripped down and took a quick shower. After, she dried off with a towel that she wasn't sure if it was really all that clean, got dressed and left the shower room. Still, there was no sign that any one had come or gone so Delphi decided to go over and check the swords on the wall.  
  
They didn't look like they were used in fighting with but she didn't care. She ripped on off the wall and examined it. She pulled it out of the sheath a little ways and decided that it was in really good shape. She walked along the wall still and found a small dagger attached to a belt that was to fit around one's leg. She relieved the wall of it and decided to attach it to her left thigh.  
  
When she got back to the sword she swipe off the wall she unsheathed it fully and spun around holding it level with her eye. She brought it down diagonally, bending her body slightly to right and then she brought it back up straight and right across in front of her bringing it to the left side of her. She did numerous amounts of moves, going about the floor gracefully and sometimes thrusting the sword forward as if to pierce someone. She spun around again and collided with something.  
  
She was heaving as she stared into cerulean blue eyes and the eyes stared back just as shocked as hers were. She lifted her sword from his and forcefully drew a circle above her head, causing the sword to come crashing down in a matter of seconds onto the enemies. The enemy was ready and just as forcefully pushed her back. She ran at him again and swung her sword, it running along his until they were face to face. Her hair was swinging back and forth, causing drops of water to slash on to her opponents face and onto her shoulders. He pushed her sword to the side with his vigorously and lightly cut her hand causing her to drop the sword. When she did however, she stumbled backwards and tripped over it, landing on her right side and her elbows, her face inches off the floor. She heard him advancing and she quickly turned and saw a sword pointing near her neck.  
  
Delphi, without hesitation gripped the handle of the dagger and knocked the sword out of the way for second. However, just as easy as the first time he had knocked the sword out of her hand he did it again with the dagger and with just as much ease. His sword once again found the place and pointed it right at her trachea. Then he lightly tapped the flat of his sword under her chin; she took it as a hit to stand up.  
  
Delphi unwillingly, but quickly stood up. He turned the sword once more and drew himself closer, still keeping the sharp part of the blade on her neck. When he was an inch in front of her face he asked her, 'What's you name?'  
  
'I'm not telling you.' She breathed easily.  
  
'Why?' he requested in the same tone as before, sweet but with a challenging undertone.  
  
'I don't want to.' She replied simply.  
  
'I'm Chesta.' he told her, backing off a little.  
  
Caught off guard by his sudden leave of her neck with his sword and his sudden telling of his name she responded nonchalantly, 'Delphi.'  
  
He nodded. 'You shouldn't be playing with these.' He told her, turning his back to her. He was in the same uniform that she had seen them wear the night they attacked her town. The same black leather and the same blue armor. She wondered if these were the only articles of clothing they owned. When she finally came to she noticed that Chesta had put the swords back up on the wall and was making his way back to her.  
  
'Here.' He said, handing her some bread. Delphi looked at him and when he flicked his wrist and the bread towards her, she grabbed it out of his hands and practically swallowed it whole.  
  
'Lord Dilandau wants to see you.' He said after a couple of minutes.  
  
'Why do you do as he says?' she asked, finishing the last few bites.  
  
'I told you.'  
  
'That's a dumb reason. Don't you want to be with your family? Miss them?'  
  
'I don't have a family. My mother died when I was young and my father sent me here not long after.'  
  
'I'm sure your father loves you.' She said evenly.  
  
'I'm sure I hate him' was his bitter answer, simple and short but full of anger. 'Now come on.' He led the way and she followed, her hair was stringing and starting to dry.  
  
*****  
  
Dilandau wasn't sitting in his throne staring at his group of slayers when Chesta and Delphi came in and Delphi could instantly feel the tension swimming around the room. Instead he was walking pacing back and forth, lashing out at the slayers and sometimes hitting one, depends on where he was.  
  
'Incompetent! This is not tolerable! You are a bunch of naïve, worthless slayers if you perform like that in battle.'  
  
'Sir.' They said in unison and Dilandau slapped one of them to the floor. He had longer hair then most, shorter than some, a strawberry blonde in color. The slayer got up immediately and stood straight again, just as the others were doing.  
  
'Three injured?' he said in harsh whisper. 'Two Alseides wrecked, three damaged?' Dilandau raged. 'You are incompetent fools.' He hissed and then waited a few seconds before yelling; 'get out!' while pointing towards the door. They hurriedly walked through the door. Delphi could see that about nine or ten of them had red marks on their face.  
  
'That means you to Chesta.' Dilandau said, not looking at him. Chesta turned and left, without even a glance to Delphi.  
  
After a few moments of silence, Dilandau walked over to the drawer on his desk and pulled something out of it.  
  
'I believe that this has some value to you, does it not?' He assumed, holding up the pendant he stole from her earlier. Delphi gritted her teeth.  
  
'Yes.' She said.  
  
'Then let me make myself clear.' He folded the chain into the palm of his hand. 'I have a preposition for you. Give me that pendant around your neck and I'll give you this one.'  
  
'I told you I couldn't! And I still can't'  
  
'I will throw this away, off the hanger if you don't give that pendant to me right now.'  
  
'I CAN'T ALL RIGHT!' she shouted and stomped her foot.  
  
'Dilandau.' Dilandau shot his head towards the door and Delphi spun around to see who had called the name with such a melancholy voice. The man was wearing a black and dark purple cloak. She also noticed that he had a purple teardrop under his right eye. He had turquoise colored hair and brown eyes  
  
'Leave us.' Said the man and Delphi more than willingly left the room. When the door slid open and a boy was standing there. He had a silver tinge to his sandy blond hair, his teal eyes impassive.  
  
'Come to escort me to my room?' she inquired 'Where's Chesta? I thought he is supposed to look after me.' She was walking very closely to him, instead of behind him. 'I look after you today.'  
  
'Then why did he get me earlier.' The boy blushed slightly.  
  
'There were matters to discuss that really didn't concern him.' He stopped and opened at door that led into her cell and steeped aside.  
  
'You got in trouble didn't you?' The boy blushed a deeper shade of pink and pointed a finger into the room. Delphi walked in and went straight to her bed.  
  
'Tomorrow is the Dragonslayers only day off. I don't know what you'll be doing but I think Lord Dilandau will have you polish our swords again.'  
  
'Great.' She said sarcastically.  
  
'I don't like it much either. I'd rather polish my own sword, we all would.' He left the room and left Delphi sitting on her bed, with nothing better to do but sit and look pretty so-to-speak.  
  
*****  
  
Delphi had decided to get some sleep while she had the chance but it wasn't very well slept. Her mind kept replaying the death of her father over and over again. Only this time she had the chance to save, but everytime she tried there was something stopping her.  
  
The first time she dreamt it, it was the same as the night it happened only instead of just saying his name she was about to say 'behind you' but she didn't have a voice and she had to watch as he died again. The second time she dreamt it she saw the same thing again, but someone, Dilandau she thought, covered her mouth and pulled her back and she had to watch in horror once again as her father was murdered with such brutality. The third time she didn't watch her father die, she couldn't get there in time to warn him, she got there to see Dilandau over him, laughing maniacally but staring directly at her. The last time it seemed as if her and her fathers positions switched. She was looking for her father when she felt the pain from behind her and then the pain came again.  
  
Delphi saw the ground coming closer and then everything turned white. She saw herself in a vast white plane with only a desk. On the desk was one drawer and inside it was a dagger; the one Dilandau had. She saw herself lying on the floor in a pool of blood, the dagger in hand stripped of its jewels. She saw Dilandau, Folken and Chesta. Then just as quickly and it turned white, everything faded to black and she was back in the middle of her burning town, her father beside her and arrow pointed towards her neck; the arrow was shot.  
  
'Daddy...' Delphi screamed and shot up in bed. She was breathing heavily and her face was coated with sweat. Her blankets were strewn and toppling off of her bed. She brought her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and started sobbing quite loudly. She heard the door open but didn't bother looking at it she just continued to cry as loud as she could into her knees, shaking violently.  
  
'What- what's wrong.' The boy, Gatti asked in a panic. Delphi did notice that they weren't as hard-shelled as Dilandau and did have some sympathy, but still she just maintained her sobbing into her knees. He heard the door slid shut again and then started to repeat the words 'daddy' in a small whisper, rocking back and forth while she was bawling.  
  
She heard the door open and again and then close. She heard footsteps coming closer but she didn't look. When she felt another weight on the bed she shot her head up and looked at the blonde boy in front of her. Her eyes were pink and puffy, as were her cheeks. She sniffed and then said just above a whisper, 'I hate you. I hate you all.'  
  
'I know.' Chesta said softly, looking at her gently. 'I'm sorry.'  
  
'You should be.' She said in a hateful tone through whimpers and shivers.  
  
'I know.' His voice was very sincere and truthful.  
  
'I hate you.' She said louder and then bent her head and started crying into her lap. She felt movement on the bed again and felt arms wrap around her bringing her down on his chest from her torso up on her side. Her legs were tangled up behind her and she struggled to get loose from his hospitable embrace. She weakly hit his chest with a loosely balled fist and said the piercing words once again, 'I hate all of you.'  
  
'I know.' He repeated in a shallow voice. 'I know.' He rested his chin on her head when she started to relax and not struggle. She didn't stop crying however, she cried harder, flinging her arms around him, not caring about how uncomfortable she was. She had stopped thinking about anything but her father. Chesta stroked her hair soothingly, rocking her gently back and forth.  
  
Delphi stopped crying and fell asleep in Chesta's arms. When he felt that her breathing had slowed he laid her down and covered her up to her waist, letting her cover herself to the desired wish but she didn't. She only rolled over onto her side and let one arm frappe over the side of the bed, and then Chesta left the room.  
  
'What did you do?' Gatti asked Chesta when he left the room.  
  
'I...showed her a little bit of hospitality.' He answered and then left for his own room to go to sleep.  
  
*****  
  
EEEPPP lol...so what do ya think? I know, I know a little pathetic...lol.  
  
Uh, Secondly, about the previous chapter...if anyone decided to read the little authors note at the end I used the word "Mush" by accident, instead of "Much" that is what it was supposed to be!  
  
Now thirdly, in this chapter. About Folken's eyes, I'm not sure if they are brown or not. But I watched about thirteen episodes of the goddamn show today and couldn't really get a clear view of them, the times that I did see it however they were brownish looking so...don't get angry about my mistake.  
  
Also, I would like to apologize about my idiotic spelling and grammar errors that are in this chapter no doubt and previous chapters (Except for four because I edited that one before hand because ff.net was shut down!) I am not one for editing until the whole fic is done and over with.  
  
Another note, I will probably not be posting very often since I have History, Tech, and Math this term, so please bear with me! I just finished four hours of homework about an hour ago...  
  
Well as previously stated earlier, please review! Thank ya.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses 


	6. My Immortal

Chapter Six  
  
My Immortal  
  
I'm so tired of being here  
  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
  
And if you have to leave  
  
I wish that you would just leave  
  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
  
And it won't leave me alone  
  
These wounds won't seem to heal  
  
This pain is just too real  
  
There's just too much that time cannot erase  
  
*****  
  
Delphi awoke with a start once again. She had been waking up off and on all night. Everytime she would try, she would keep dreaming about her father's death, and then Chesta. She shook her head and wished that she had some water. Realizing that she wanted some water she instantly discovered that she had to go to the washroom.  
  
Kicking off whatever sheet she had left over her, she made her way across the cold floor towards the door and starting pounding on it.  
  
'Uh.........I really need to go to the washroom.' When she didn't hear a response she pounded some more on the door. 'I really need to go' she pleaded, thinking that he was just going to let her suffer. She heard some shifting on the floor and some whispering and the door opened.  
  
Standing in front of her was a half a sleep Gatti and a half dressed Chesta; Delphi looked away.  
  
'I need to go to the washroom.........if it isn't too much trouble.' She said just above a whisper.  
  
Chesta shook his head a little sleepily and said, 'I was just goin there.' Chesta then looked at Gatti. 'And you shouldn't be sleeping.' He said with an apprehending voice.  
  
'Well, its not like she's going anywhere and I did have a very tiresome day.' He fought back weekly.  
  
'Come on.' Chesta started down the hall and then stopped to kook at Gatti.  
  
'You better come back here.' Gatti said towards Delphi, who nodded and quickly followed Chesta.  
  
'Thank-you.' She said part way down the cold long corridor.  
  
'I was headed that way, it isn't a big deal.' He turned a corner and was about to open a door when he realized that she had stopped.  
  
She was rubbing her right arm. 'I mean, about earlier. I didn't mean.........'  
  
'Don't worry about it. Go in here.' Chesta opened and Delphi made her way into the small bathroom.  
  
*****  
  
'Why did your father make you come here?' Delphi asked when coming back to her room. Chesta remained silent.  
  
'My father was a little high-stung too. He was always making me learn how to defend myself. I'm sure if I was a boy I would have been sent here too.' She let out a small laugh and Chesta looked at her a little shocked.  
  
'My father sent me here because he didn't want to look after me after my mother died.' They both stopped and for the first time that night she looked at his eyes.  
  
'I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such memories.'  
  
'You have to stop apologizing.' He said, opening another door and pulling her in.  
  
'What are you doing?' She questioned. He set her down on one of the chairs and he sat on the edge of the table.  
  
'Have you noticed anything different about your pendant?' He asked after a moment.  
  
'This is about my pendant?' she asked angrily.  
  
'Yes, have you looked at it lately?'  
  
'What do you mean have I looked at it lately?' he inquired furiously.  
  
'What color is it?' he asked.  
  
'It's an emerald. It's greenish.' She said matter-of-factly.  
  
'It's actually,' Chesta looked down at the pendant and said 'pink.'  
  
'Pink?' Delphi attempted looking at it, but she couldn't see it. Chesta nodded.  
  
'Why?' She asked but Chesta shrugged his bare shoulders.  
  
'I don't know. It was pink when I left last night. You don't feel any different right?' Delphi paused for a moment trying to deduce what he meant about "feel". She shook her head.  
  
'No, at least I don't think so.'  
  
'Tomorrow you will be seeing Folken. He might have an explanation to why your pendant.........is doing what it is.'  
  
*****  
  
Delphi was still sleeping when a door slid open and a cloaked figure walked in. The figure walked over to the bed and shook Delphi who awoke with a start.  
  
'Delphi?' Delphi yawned and looked into the turquoise-haired man.  
  
'Yes?' she answered.  
  
'Your necklace is changing colors is it?' He asked with a very soft voice. She shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, 'I suppose. So I've been told.'  
  
'I'm afraid I can't tell you why since I'm not even sure I know why myself. I think, however, it is changing because it is becoming more intact with your feelings, emotions.'  
  
Delphi flopped back on her mattress 'That is the worst bull-'  
  
Folken was walking leisurely around the room as he cut Delphi off by saying, 'One of the Dragon Slayers tell me that your very good at handling a sword.'  
  
'What's it matter if I can handle a sword or not?' her voice was strenuous now that her head was hanging off the bed.  
  
'Dilandau could use another man.' Folken told her thoughtfully. She let out a loud and hearty laugh and Folken looked at her in shock.  
  
'You should know the fool better than I. He's a cynical prick, there is no way he'd let a demeaning woman fight with his 'men'' she had now made her way to a sitting position on the bed with her legs hanging over the side.  
  
'He'll listen to me.' Folken said and left the room.  
  
'There is no way I'm going to even try to fight for some cynical bastard like Dilandau. And there is no way that I could possibly deign to be loyal to HIM. ' She thought bitterly. She stood up off of her walked around scorning everything that popped into her mind.  
  
'How dare he try and get me to fight in his stupid militia. To kill innocent people nonetheless. Well I wont join.' She was quite satisfied with her final judgment as another thought came to her.  
  
'What if I do this and I get better living quarters. Or I could use this as a chance to escape or something clever like that.' She stopped near the door and leaned against a wall. She crossed her arms and dipped her head. 'Or revenge?' The door slid open again and shot her head towards the door. Folken stood there once again.  
  
'Follow me.' She considered staying there but then pushed herself off the wall and clumsily followed him out of the door.  
  
The halls were quiet and no one was around. She wondered at the back of her mind why no one was guarding her cell like someone always is. She shrugged it off and continued to follow Folken down the bland hallways with only doors and the odd light as decoration.  
  
'This way.' Folken ordered as her turned down a corridor she had never been down before. There didn't seem to be any lights down this hall and the only light from the connecting hallway behind her was being swallowed in the darkness. Delphi started to fall behind a little bit, not liking being in the dark with him.  
  
Delphi saw a light coming from a little window to her left just ahead of her. When Folken walked right passed it and rounded a corner she decided to peep inside. She stood on her tiptoes and her eyes just reached the small rectangular window. Inside there were tables with straps and huge lights above them. Beside, what she believed were examination tables, were tall but small trolleys carrying syringes and many types of liquid in them. There seems to be things broken all over the place. Something grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away just as she saw a bulky figure emerge and her breath caught in her throat and the hand pushed her against the wall. She looked up into Folken's eyes and over to her shoulder where a metal hand was holding her there. He leaned down close to her face.  
  
'I said follow me. Do not try and comprehend things you cannot. Now, follow me.' He released her shoulder and she immediately brought her hand up to where it felt like he was crushing her against the wall instead of just lightly holding her there. She started to follow him again. They stopped at a door just beyond the corner and Folken told Delphi to go inside there. The door slid open and the two of them walked inside a well lit room.  
  
Not much to Delphi's surprise, Dilandau was sitting on a chair with his feel upon a table, his eyes were fixated on a glass of wine he was swirling around mindlessly. When he noticed the company, he set his feet on the floor and standing up he placed his half full glass of wine on the table.  
  
'So, you can play with a sword, or so I hear. ' Dilandau drawled.  
  
'I don't play with anything you pig.' She spat while quickly realizing that she shouldn't have. Dilandau pushed her and she stumbled back.  
  
'It would be prudent to hold your tongue, or I might just cut it out.'  
  
'And it would also be 'prudent' for you not to try. You might get hurt' She snapped at him sarcastically. She knew she was taking in more that she could chew, but at this point she didn't care.  
  
'Are you threatening me?'  
  
'Both of you sit down.' Folken said calmly. Delphi sat on the floor where she was standing but Dilandau remained standing with his mouth shut.  
  
'I want you to put her in with your Dragon Slayers Dilandau.'  
  
'No' Dilandau said quite roughly. 'There is no way a female will fight with a bunch of MY men. It's not feasible'  
  
'You're infeasible.' She said, once again coping his words and throwing her hands up in the air with false weakness.  
  
'It is not up for discussion.' Folken turned his back on Delphi and looked Dilandau right in the eye. 'You'll do as I say.'  
  
'One of my slayers?' Dilandau asked slightly less aggressive and Folken nodded. 'You will abide my rules.'  
  
'What else is new?' she muttered under her breath and Dilandau seemed to have overlooked it.  
  
'You get no special treatment. You train with the men, as hard as the men and you will fight like the men. I'm not going to let you off easy, do you understand? You are not going to get any sympathy from me and you are not leaving your cell. You are going to live in that until you die.'  
  
'I didn't want sympathy from you. I don't want anything from you.' Dilandau walked towards her and picked her up off the floor roughly by grabbing her arm and throwing her towards the wall again. She winced in pain as her arms were starting to get really tender.  
  
'And lastly, no talking back will be tolerated.' He yelled in her face and walked out of the room.  
  
'I take it he's not happy?' she whispered.  
  
'Get out.' Folken ordered. Delphi didn't need to be told twice, she quickly scooted out of the room and back from the way she came.  
  
She quickly passed the room that seemed to be emitting a greenish glow quite quickly and down the darkened corridor into the light filled one. She walked straight, not really knowing where to go when she heard two voices. She gingerly walked to a corner and poked her head around to see two men standing there in the usual blue suit and armor.  
  
'That's funny. I thought it was day off.' Delphi said in her head, a little confused that they would be in their get up even on their day off.  
  
'.........She left without Folken, so she has to be around her somewhere.' A soft voice said, sounding a little out of breath.  
  
'I can't believe she is making us train today.' Another voice said acidly.  
  
'We better find her before Lord Dilandau throws another fit.'  
  
'Looking for me?' Delphi asked stepping out from behind the wall. The two boys looked in her direction. She recognized both of them. One of them was the tired soldier who was guarding her cell last night and the longhaired one was the one that always seemed to get hit for some reason or another.  
  
'You!' the brown-haired boy grabbed her arm painfully and started to drag her down a familiar hallway, as familiar as they get anyway to the "Training Room".  
  
'Ooh! I had lots of fun in here. Polishing all your swords!' she beamed and sweetly exclaimed sarcastically. The door opened and standing perfectly straight and being perfectly quiet were four other Dragon Slayers.  
  
'This is the elite squad. You will be training with them, fighting against them and losing against them.' A smile flickered at his lips as Delphi stood facing the six of them as soon as the two missing joined.  
  
'Miguel, Dalet, Gatti, Guimel, Chesta, and Viole.' Dilandau had pointed to each of them.  
  
'I want you to at least try and beat my slayers since Folken says you can fight with a sword quite well.'  
  
'I can.' She interrupted.  
  
'Alright, Chesta.'  
  
Chesta nodded and five slayers moved over to the side. Dilandau watched with immense interest. Chesta unsheathed his sword as a clatter and a noise of metal against metal reached their ears. Delphi looked down to see a sword at her feet. She picked it up and immediately Chesta charged at her, sword raised. She Quickly blocked his attack, but the force of it nearly knocked her over. Chesta swung his sword at her again and once again she blocked and blocked and blocked. She was slowly being backed up in to the corner.  
  
With sudden fierce vitality, Delphi raised her sword high above her head and brought it down right onto Chesta's, making him stop his bombardment of attacks. She plunged her sword forward and Chesta moved out of the way, trying to get her in from behind. Delphi twisted her body around and her sword just shaved his away but she ended up falling. Chesta was shocked when she suddenly tripped over her feet that when it clicked in he didn't have time to register that she had swung her feet underneath his and took him out.  
  
Chesta was just as fast as she was getting up. Both of their swords were still clashing with each other's. Chesta didn't seem to be going easy on her like she thought he would. In fact Chesta seemed to be doing all sorts of nasty tricks to win. He tried several times taking her out at the knees but she had managed getting out of that by winding her lithe body out of the way. She had more of an advantage she thought; she didn't have any constricting armor.  
  
Dilandau swung his sword around that might have taken her head off but she ducked and while ducking she spun ninety degrees so that her back was facing him, stood up and thrust her elbow right into his stomach before he could comprehend what she was up to. She turned around and was going knee him in the face but he hit her in the face with the back of his hand holding his sword. She stumbled sideways, blood trickling from her mouth. When she looked back to begin fighting again, Chesta had his sword aimed right at her, ready to strike if she made another move. In defeat she dropped her sword.  
  
Dilandau chuckled. 'Predictable but very amusing' he said and brought a leather finger to his mouth and tapped mindlessly on his lower lip. 'Dalet.' He nodded and unsheathed his sword.  
  
'This isn't fair, don't I get a-' Dalet and swung his sword and she ducked 'break?' She crawled out of the way as he brought his sword down and then she finally raised her sword and blocked his third attack. His sword slid right to the hilt of hers and she tried pushing it up but he was quite strong and being on her knees didn't help much. She used all her strength and pushed to the left. This caused Dalet's sword to slip off and sent him bending over his sword cutting her leg. Delphi took a sharp breath and bounced up off of the floor.  
  
The cut wasn't bad, but it stung and made her limp a little bit. She didn't know why but suddenly she attention was focused on Dilandau and his wicked grin he was modeling. Out of the corner or her eye she saw his sword glisten as he brought it down, no doubt trying to take her head off but she blocked it just in time. She pushed him back and she kept pushing him back until he made her stumble backwards by stepping on her right foot. When she got up there was some distance between them so Delphi took a running charge. Dalet was ready for this and before she could get her sword down he tripped her and she was sent flying to the floor. Dalet triumphantly stepped on her hand, crushing it into her sword handle and the floor.  
  
She was starting to get very sore and her muscles were starting to complain as Dilandau called up his next, Gatti. She stood up, narrowed her brows, pursed her lips and clutched her sword in both hands, staring zealously into Gatti's eyes. Her breathing was almost a pant and her palms were sweaty. She wasn't sure how much more of this she was able to talk as Gatti charged at her, pushing her up against the wall with his sword against hers. Delphi pushed as hard as she could but her muscles weren't used to this and they screamed in protest. She placed on foot on the wall behind her and pushed forward, moving him just enough to duck and scoot around him. Similar to what she did to Chesta, Delphi pushed Gatti into the wall, but Gatti spun around trying to hit Delphi but she ducked and he ended up colliding with the wall. She pushed him again with her forearm and he tried to hit her again but ended up hitting the wall.  
  
Gatti swung his sword blindly behind him and it hit hers. He reached out a hand and grabbed one of hers bringing her so close that she was touching his body except for his sword that was between them by her neck. She couldn't do anything with her sword because of his grip so she struggled a bit and moved outwards but that caused her to drop her sword.  
  
'And once again it's over and you lose.' Dilandau said gleefully. 'I thought you could fight?'  
  
'I can't fight consecutively without eating properly.' She panted. Her muscles ached and cried in protest when she tried to move. She ended up just falling onto the floor and sitting there.  
  
'Giving up? What do you expect to do in a battle, they wont stop coming.' Dilandau toyed with her.  
  
'Nothing.' She replied and lay backwards stretching her arms out. She heard the sheathing of a sword and the shuffling of feet. She found out that she was quite wrong about the sheeting of the sword when the blade of Dilandau's sword found her trachea.  
  
'Going to kill me?' Dilandau lowered his sword to her pendant and there was a huge spark and Dilandau was sent flying across the room and Delphi was sent in the opposite direction, both hitting the wall hard and falling on the floor. Delphi, however, didn't get up but her pendant gave off a purplish glow as she lay there.  
  
*****  
  
Okay......... my sincerest apologize that this took so long to upload or write. I've been sooooo busy with school and my classes, and the play and badminton, and yearbook committee and choir and whatever else I do for that stupid school that I have no time for myself. Now that it is March break... ladeda! I update.  
  
Well please tell me what you think about this chapter. And oh, as for the grammar errors, I'm sorry, but I hate re-reading something I just wrote! Ta, ta  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses 


	7. A Wolf At The Door

A Wolf at the Door  
  
I keep the wolf from the door  
  
But he calls me up  
  
Calls me on the phone  
  
Tells me all the ways  
  
That he's gonna mess me up.  
  
*****  
  
Delphi seemed frozen on the floor as her pendant seemed to be glowing steadily. Dilandau picked himself off of the floor and looked towards the heap on the floor across the room that was Delphi. Infuriated by being humiliated in front of his elite group of slayers he casually walked over to her, as not to make a scene.  
  
When Dilandau bent down to roll her over he felt a sudden shock moved through him as soon as he made contact with her. He retracted his hand in astonishment and tried to touch her again. When he felt another shock he stood up angrily and kicked her over. Her arms fell lazily on the floor and her head shifted slightly, hair still covering her face.  
  
Dilandau cocked his head a little to get a better look at her then said, 'would someone pick her up?' He turned around to look at all of his slayers. They had all seen what had happened to Dilandau when he had touched her so no one decided to move. Chesta, however, looked around at his pathetic excuse for friends and walked dauntingly over to where Delphi was claming the floor with her limp body. He bent down and balanced himself on his toes. He reached out his hand and put one finger on her shoulder; nothing happened. He shrugged and picked her up, turning around afterwards to see a few socked expressions from the other slayers.  
  
'Get her out of my face.' Dilandau ordered when Chesta finally made eye contact with him. Chesta nodded,  
  
'Sir.' And then left hurriedly to put her back in her cell.  
  
****  
  
Chesta didn't put her in her cell; instead he made his way to Folken's room where, when he got there, he knocked on the door. The door slid open without moments of hesitate and Folken stared at Chesta, who was still holding Delphi.  
  
'What's going on?' Folken asked in his calm voice once again.  
  
'Nothing sir, I just have a question I'd like to ask you.' Chesta said.  
  
'And what would that be?'  
  
'Why no one can touch her but me.'  
  
Folken raised an eyebrow to this remark of Chesta's. 'Bring her to the sorcerers' room, I'll be right down with you.'  
  
'Sir.' Chesta nodded and turned to go to the sorcerers' room. He didn't like it there and he'd never been in there, but Dilandau has. They've all heard him scream so loud that they want scream themselves. He didn't want to go and he dreaded that he had to.  
  
The door opened and he poked his head in; no one was there. Chesta walked straight through, looking about for one of the sorcerers to jump out at him; but none came. Chesta walked towards on of the lab tables and set her down on it. He heard the door open again and whipped around to see who had come in. Folken was sauntering over towards the two of them. Without a word, he turned on a huge bright light above Delphi, but she didn't stir. Folken moved around the table to the other side and then began searching for something, all the while Chesta was looking around the whole room for anything suspicious that might want to jump out at him.  
  
'What precisely is wrong again?'  
  
'Well,' he started dryly, 'Dilandau couldn't touch her.'  
  
'And you could?' Folken seemed fatigued and didn't want to be hearing this sort of poppycock at the moment.  
  
'Yes sir.'  
  
'Okay.' Folken walked towards Delphi and touched the side of her check and recoiled in pain. He didn't say anything but Chesta read his quizzical expression that what just happened was quite strange. 'I'll presume it's that pendant around her neck.' He said and for the first time noticing that it had changed color. 'What was going on?'  
  
'Lord Dilandau wanted to train her and so he got us to fight her. She gave up, I think, and Lord Dilandau did something. All I saw was a huge spark and both went flying.'  
  
'This might help.' Said Folken going to a table with a syringe on it and grabbed it. He walked past Chesta who watched him idly as he grabbed a bottle of green liquid and a needle head. As he stuck the needlepoint into the bottle, Chesta was beginning to have negative thoughts on this subject. He watched as the green liquid was suctioned into the syringe and swirled around. Folken tapped the side of it and pressed the liquid out until there was no air left in it. Folken stretched out his metallic arm with the needle in it towards Chesta, who looked stupidly at him.  
  
'You have to give this to her.' He said.  
  
'Why me?' he asked with sheer uncertainty.  
  
'Because I can't touch her.' Folken said simply as Chesta turned to Delphi, needle in hand.  
  
'Where?'  
  
'Her inner elbow.' Folken walked to where Chesta was and pointed to where it was. 'You have to be precise.'  
  
'What's in here?' Chesta asked just before he was going to inject the green liquid into her arm.  
  
'It's something that the sorcerer's have been working on. Nothing of your concern.'  
  
Chesta brought the needle down to the vein on her arm and stuck the needle in. Even though she was unconscious, he was subconsciously thinking that he might hurt her. He squished the liquid into her arm and pulled the needle out, feeling a little under the weather. He placed the need into Folken's outstretched hand and leaned against a shelf when he heard something being knocked over.  
  
'What was that?' he whispered and looked around but his thoughts were interrupted by Delphi suddenly going into convulsion. He spun around and pressed his hands onto her shoulders to stop her but was grabbed painfully by Folken's metallic arm, which pulled him away. Chesta stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor.  
  
'Leave her be.' Folken snarled just as Delphi had slowed down her convulsing. Chesta was sitting on the floor, propping himself on his hands behind him. From underneath the table he saw four paws, slightly larger than a wolf's paw. He did a double take at the four paws and crawled farther away from the table. A huge head appeared in view and stared right at him. It looked like a cross between a dog and a wolf; midnight black in color and its fur looked course. It had a slightly elongated and wide snout with a big black nose planted on the end of it. It was making a shallow growling noise that caused Folken to look in the direction that Chesta was staring at.  
  
'Don't move.' Folken ordered, but the animal focused all of its attention on Chesta sitting on the floor and quickly jumped at him with full force landing on his chest making him topple over. His hands went up and pushed the animal's chin towards the ceiling, as to avoid a bite. It craned its neck around so that its head wasn't blocked by Chesta's hand anymore.  
  
It took another bite at him but Chesta punched his nose all the while trying to knock it off him. Its claws were starting to dig through the leather armor covering his chest. Before the animal could regain its balance from the struggle Chesta was putting up and attack once more it cried out in pain and staggered off of Chesta. Folken stabbed the animal another two times before its movement desisted.  
  
'Fool! Fool. What are you thinking?' a horse voice came from behind Folken.  
  
'You killed the experiment.' Another rough voice spoke. Three sorcerers appeared wearing huge black cloaks similar to Folken's.  
  
'You should learn to contain those things.' Chesta cried, standing up. 'It was going to kill me.' Chesta lambasted.  
  
'Quite young one.' The first one said. 'It is none of your business that we are running experiments.'  
  
'I had to kill it.' Folken said. 'It was attacking one of the slayers, they're more important than your experiments.' His voice was tranquil.  
  
'That may be true.........but what makes the slayers, slayers?' the first one inquired sardonically.  
  
'Us. Without our intellect you boys would be weak as a wench.' The second one added contemptuously.  
  
'Tell us? Do you ever wake up hating who you are?' The first asked Chesta, bending over and peering at him wickedly. Chesta shook his head no. 'Precisely.'  
  
'And what's this?' a third voice hissed.  
  
'Another one? It seems that she has already had an injection.' The second observed.  
  
'She has a strong body. It seemed to have no effect with the first dosage.' The third one hissed once again.  
  
'What do mean? You put THAT in her?' Chesta yelled unabashedly at the sorcerers. Folken nodded absentmindedly and walked over to Delphi, rested his hand on her forehead. She had a slight fever but she wasn't giving off any sort of electrical current anymore.  
  
'It seems you are right, her body is stronger than normal.' Folken commented on the thirds examination. 'She'll be fine Chesta, take her to a bed and let her rest.'  
  
'Not until you tell me what attacked me.' Chesta said defiantly.  
  
'I will not tolerate backtalk.' Folken told him, turning his back on him. Even though he could not see, Chesta nodded and said simply,  
  
'Sir.'  
  
'It isn't an affair you would want to meddle in.' the superficial voice in his head said callously.  
  
*****  
  
Delphi awoke in her bed. She knew she had a strange dream but she couldn't remember what it was about. Then she was brought back to reality about what happened before she lost all contact with the world. Dilandau was about to kill her and then there was a flash. A sharp pain struck through her head. She brought her hands up to her temples and squeezed her eyes shut, but just as soon as the pain came it left.  
  
She sat up in her bed and felt strangely refreshed. Shrugging, she stood up out of her bed and was taken aback when her muscles, which her aching when she awoke were perfectly fine now. She yawned, stretching her arms when then the door opened. She let her arms collapse beside her and then she stared into the cold impenetrable eyes of Dilandau.  
  
'I need to use the washroom' she said defiantly. A grin flickered across his face.  
  
'You better be in the training room in ten minutes or the floors will be the next thing you polish.' He turned his back on her and then left. Delphi was surprised that he was actually letting her roam to find the bathroom unaccompanied. She walked out of the door, which slid shut behind her.  
  
She racked her brain to remember where Chesta had taken her earlier. It took her, what she figured five minuets to find the washroom. When she was finished she ran all the way back to her cell and then down the hall to the training room. She walked through the door and there were about forty slayers, who stood attentive, lined up in four rows. Dilandau had his back to her but then he turned his head to look at her and said,  
  
'Are you ready to go into battle?'  
  
*****  
  
Well please review.........it means a lot to me.  
  
Thank you to the people who have reviewed already.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses 


	8. Tourniquet

Chapter Eight  
  
Tourniquet  
  
My wounds cry for the gave  
  
My soul cries for deliverance  
  
Will I be?  
  
Denied?  
  
Christ?  
  
Tourniquet?  
  
My suicide?  
  
*****  
  
Delphi looked around the room at the soldiers who were all fancied up for a battle. Their armor was polished it seemed and Delphi assumed that their swords were also. Dilandau approached her; he was no longer flaunting his stupid grin but had a serious look on his face.  
  
'I doubt you're going to be of any help to us today but you might get yourself killed and then I can have your little pendant' He chuckled mockingly and pointed to a pile of cloths.  
  
'Those are for you put them on and then hurry up and get over here so you can at least try and understand the battle plan.' She looked behind her as Dilandau walked to a table and then many slayers moved in for better hearing. Delphi was playing close attention to what he was saying and then was beginning to think that he was being foolish and it was a mistake to just barge in on the front with the Alseides, especially because she didn't know how the hell to use one.  
  
Delphi put on the blue armor that she was givin. It was extremely heavy and she found herself wondering how they were able to carry such a load and fight so well.  
  
'That's what makes them soldiers' she said at the back of her mind before dragging herself to where Dilandau was talking the plan through with the slayers. Delphi thought for a moment. 'He did the same tactic last time, and lost a few of those Alseides. He's not going to get anything better this time doing the same thing, they'll be ready for this.' Delphi thought.  
  
'What exactly ARE you trying to achieve Lord Dilandau?' She asked still sounding cocky on the word Lord.  
  
'They're against Zaibach. They're saying that other countries shouldn't ration food with this place. We're simply going to take their rations and kill anyone who defies us.' Dilandau answered, hands down on a scribbled piece of paper and not looking at her. 'We're going to attack the front by using the Alseides.'  
  
'Well then! You're going about it all the wrong way.' She said. There was an in take of breath and then all eyes were on Delphi. 'What I mean is, the mouse has a better chance of not being seen than the lion does. If you take those big machines in again, there will probably be more than two coming back wrecked like last time, am I correct?'  
  
'And how could you be so sure that those Alseides came back damaged from that attack?' He asked.  
  
'I didn't' was her answer. 'But I know I'm right.' Dilandau crossed his arms.  
  
'Tell me, oh wonderful genius, how do you propose we attack then?'  
  
'Why do you spend so much time training on hand to hand combat if you aren't even going to use it? I say we simply and attack the front.' Delphi walked to the swords on the wall slowly and then stopped, turning around. 'Two groups.' She said while grabbing the small dagger she used a couple of days ago and attaching it to the belt that was givin to her and then grabbing a longer sword and attaching in the same manor. Dilandau didn't seem to care much.  
  
'One group, the stronger one perhaps, attacks the front. It will be less subtle than rushing in there with the Alseides.' She told them thoughtfully.  
  
'You're really a dumb girl. We have stealth cloaks, just not when we go into flight mode.' Dilandau said angrily.  
  
'And the loud banging of the machines are so quiet that they wont even notice them? Just hear me out. The second group will go around to the back taking them by surprise and making them split up into two groups as well, although they weren't expecting this.' Dilandau looked at her with curiosity on his face.  
  
'And we just walk there?' he asked offhandedly.  
  
'Horses.' She replied simply.  
  
*****  
  
They were all in a small room, with many tables and chairs, which looked very uncomfortable. Delphi figured it must be a mess hall or something of the sort. More slayers had come and Delphi couldn't think of where. Some of the slayers were tense and waiting for Dilandau to come back and give them orders. Others were just relaxed and leaning on the wall talking about how Dilandau actually took Delphi's advice. Delphi was sitting at a table on one of those uncomfortable chairs with her head down on her arm trying to appear that she wasn't listening in.  
  
'I don't believe Lord Dilandau is going along with this.' Delphi heard one of the slayers say.  
  
'That stupid girl is going to get us all killed.' Another added his opinion.  
  
'And as if she actually got away telling Lord Dilandau what to do.' A third chimed in.  
  
'Well it's not like any of us ever tried to share what we think we should do. I think she has guts.' Gatti said. Delphi heard this and raised her eyebrows in flattery.  
  
'Well, if she keeps this up, she won't even have any to use.' The third retorted. 'Besides, she's a weak girl, why is she even with the slayers.' Delphi furrowed her brows at this remark.  
  
'I'm not a weak girl.' She thought bitterly.  
  
'She's not just with the slayers,' said Chesta getting up off of the wall he was leaning on. 'She's with the elite group.' He walked over to where Delphi was sitting at the table, pretending not to be listening on their conversations.  
  
'Besides she's a pretty good fighter, I think she could kick your butt's' Gatti said and Delphi smiled inwardly. There was a bunch of shouting and disagreement but Delphi zoned out as soon as Chesta sat opposite her.  
  
'Hi.' He said fairly dull. 'Don't let those guys bother you.' He leaned in closer to her and whispered, 'their just jealous because most of us if we ever shared out opinion we would get slapped by Lord Dilandau.'  
  
'I wasn't even listening, but personally, I think he just took my idea so I could kill myself.' Delphi replied, shifting her head so she was looking the other way. Chesta remained silent, not sure how to contradict her.  
  
'I don't think you could get yourself killed.'  
  
'How are you so sure, you came back with three injured last time?'  
  
'How do you know all this?' Chesta inquired while leaning on the back of his hand.  
  
'I was there when Dilandau was ranting about it, and slapping people, remember?' She said, lifting her head of to look at him.  
  
'Oh, right.' He responded.  
  
'What's it like?' she asked.  
  
'What?'  
  
Delphi put her head back down on her arms and stared mindlessly to the other side of the room. 'Going into battle and just killing everyone you see.'  
  
'I- don't know.' He told her softly.  
  
'Do you like it?'  
  
'No.' he said plainly. 'It's just something you get used to after a while.' Chesta said.  
  
'How do you get used to killing people?' She asked thoughtfully, but without emotion.  
  
'I've been doing it for so long now, I suppose' he paused to think for a moment, 'I suppose it's like getting used to cleaning your room. You get used to it and then its more like a duty than a chore.'  
  
'It's your duty to kill people?'  
  
'I suppose it's something like that.' Chesta said but was unable to say anything further as the door slid opened and Dilandau stood in front of them all. Many of the slayers who were waiting for this precise moment stood up and rushed in line. The others didn't take their time, but they did it in a more orderable fashion.  
  
'Come on' Chesta whispered and started to walk towards the group of slayers and Delphi followed behind him. Chesta walked to the front of the row and stood where he usually does and Delphi just walked to the end of the line, beside Miguel.  
  
'There are seventy horses.' He said clearly pacing around the room. 'This little idea of yours might just work.' He said looking Delphi straight in the eye. 'The elite squad and the some other men with attack the front and the rest will attack the back. This must be done extremely careful. You must be quiet before we attack, once we attack they wont be able to hear. Stay on your horses, we have the advantage of being on them may I remind you.'  
  
'I want Thirty-two men. Hurry up and make that group for me right now.' he ordered. Several men started to pull away from the group and formed another group. Soon there were two groups consisting of thirty-two men and another group of eight of the elite group, Dilandau included and thirty-nine other men. Dilandau counted through and noticed that there were more men than horses and he removed ten of the slayers from the first group so that there were thrity soldiers and eight of the elite.  
  
'Group one, my group, will head down first and attack the front. This will be expected of course and they will draw all their men up to the front. That's when the second group will attack from behind. This group will take a path through the forest and around to attack from the back. This will, hopefully catch them off guard and further out advantage. Is this understood'  
  
'Sir' The group of slayers answered.  
  
'Sir.' Delphi said milliseconds after so that it sounded like an echo. Dilandau just looked at her with annoyance.  
  
'Let's go.' Dilandau said and left the room, followed by everyone else except for the slayers that were removed.  
  
'He almost makes it sound like the whole thing was HIS idea.' Delphi thought as she trudged down the hall to the hanger area. We'll be taking the Alseides' down.' He said as the slayers started to clime into their Alseides after being pulled up. Many of the slayers were also carried down because there wasn't enough Alseides. Delphi didn't even know whom she was carried down by, she was just grabbed by a huge hand and then it jumped.  
  
Delphi squeezed her eyes closed as she felt the wind flapping around her face. Her stomach was doing summersaults and then it all ended when she felt a sudden shake through her body. The huge hand lowered her to the ground and released her. Then it opened and Gatti jumped out of it.  
  
All around her they started to fall like bombs all landing and shaking the ground. Delphi looked around and saw the many soldiers getting out of the cockpit or getting out of the grip of the huge hand. She circled around herself and saw that they were in the middle of nowhere. There was a huge forest to the right of her and there seemed to be a little desolate house and a lot of horses in a pen.  
  
'Where did all these horses come from?' She asked the nearest slayer, Viole. He shrugged and started to walk towards the pen and Delphi followed.  
  
'Grab a horse and get on. We'll be there by noon.' Dilandau said. For the first time Delphi noticed that the sun was just rising and that it must be quite earlier in the morning. Delphi walked over to the horse that she thought was the cutest. It had big brown eyes and a brown nose but the rest of him was white with little brown feckless.  
  
She mounted the horse, which was quite hard since she he only had reins and made him move forward out of the pen. Once out she circled him around so that she and the horse were facing the pen again, awaiting an order from Dilandau.  
  
However, Dilandau didn't give an order. He simply rode off in a direction and his group started to follow behind. The second group turned and went to their right, into the forest. Delphi looked ahead of her and saw that Dilandau and the other slayers were already ahead of her so she kicked lightly at the horse and it started up running in the direction of everyone else.  
  
The ride was long, sore and tiring for the horse especially. They had been riding for hours across a vacant field. They only stopped once at a creek where the horses drank and so did some of the really thirsty soldiers, others thought that it was too disgusting to drink.  
  
'Come on, I'm sure you drank worse when you were little.' Said Delphi who bent down and took a handful of water and brought it up to her mouth where she drank it greedily. 'It's not that bad.' She said and drank another handful, wiped her mouth off then mounted her horse again. A few more slayers went to the creek with a 'girl-can-do-it-so-can-I' attitude and drank a little.  
  
'That's enough.' Dilandau shouted. 'We didn't stop for you fools, we stopped for the horses.' The slayers who were off their horses quickly got back on and looks towards the ground, Delphi had to stifle a laugh because of the way the slayers reacted.  
  
It was high noon and the sun was beating down on them, she was very hot and knew she wasn't the only one. The armor was the worst, being black leather and all; it just trapped the heat in.  
  
Delphi found it odd that she wasn't the least bit hungry, especially since she has not been eating properly. The last thing she had eaten, if she remembered correctly, was bread. While she was thinking Delphi started to fall behind and soon was the last of the riders to be going. She only came back to reality when she heard the faint shouting of Dilandau telling his men to take out their swords.  
  
This was something that Delphi didn't really know how to do. She had to balance herself on the horse and try and take out her sword at the same time. Somehow or another she managed it, but also got herself farther behind. She was looking straight ahead and she saw what looked like a base. She also saw Chesta turning his horse around and riding back to her.  
  
'You have to catch up' he said, now riding right beside her.  
  
'I know, I'm sorry.' She replied. 'The whole taking the sword out the sword and riding-' an arrow flew right by her head and she reared her horse to the right. There was another and another and another. One slayer was hit and went flying off of his horse. The other horses were veering around him and kept going forward, avoiding the barrage of arrows that were coming.  
  
Delphi could see them; there were about forty men. It was perfect. She knew that her plan would work if the other slayers would get there soon. She swerved off to the left; she could see the shallow creek again swimming into a huge river beside their base. Dilandau was already up at the front where it was hard to shoot at him; he was killing a numerous amount of people Delphi observed.  
  
The rest of the slayers were catching up and doing the same.  
  
'We're winning' she thought. Just then another arrow was headed right for her face. In fear she pulled on the reins of her horse and it stopped and turned slightly. The arrow didn't hit her, however, it moved to the side. There were three more arrows that were aimed for the neck, the head and the chest area; all seemed to have phenomenally been pushed aside to avoid any damage. She looked at the horse's neck and saw a purple reflection in his silky coat and brought her hand up to her pendant.  
  
She started to move again but another arrow had come flying. This time it hadn't been aimed for her, but her horse. It pierced the flesh of his neck and the horse stood on hind legs and then fell backwards as Delphi went flying off, right into the water as her sword went flying in a whole different direction.  
  
Delphi attempted to swim up to the surface but the armor she was wear was extremely heavy and was dragging her down, deeper into the water. Her lungs hurt because she didn't have enough time to think about taking in air. She was sinking at a rapid pace but then hit a rock. It was slimy and was hard to balance on but she somehow kicked herself up so that her head pocked out of the water enough for her to gasp for breath before her wet and heavy armor brought her under again.  
  
This time she missed the rock and kept going down but a hand found her arm and with slight difficulty brought them both to the surface and then edge of the river. Delphi clutched the side of the back and was swallowing the air faster than her lungs could comprehend it. The other body pulled itself out of the water and then reached it's hand down to hers. She grabbed the hand and pulled herself out of the river with the aid of the hand.  
  
She lay back down on the grass; her feet still in the water and she stared up at the face of Chesta, who was dripping with water, just as she was.  
  
'It's mostly under control' he said. 'The second group came. You were right; it did catch them off guard.' Chesta helped Delphi up off of the ground and he helped her onto his horse and then he got on in front of her. Her horse was lying in the grass dead, his blood was clotting around the wound but a lot of it had spilt into the river already. Delphi looked away from the sight and closed her eyes until the horse stopped. She got up and walked lazily into the building after Chesta.  
  
There were dead body's everywhere, severed heads, and blood. Most of them were the enemies but there was the odd slayer body, it was no one Delphi had seen before however.  
  
'There are about seven dead.' Dilandau was standing by a door, cleaning off his tainted sword.  
  
'You got what you wanted didn't you?' Delphi retorted, her voice bland.  
  
'I suppose, but not as many would have died by taking the Guymelefs.' He retorted.  
  
'And you can sure by?' she asked. Dilandau ignored her; she could tell that the only thing he wanted to do right now was to drive the sword right into her gut.  
  
'Grab what you can in supplies and gather the extra horses.' Dilandau said while opening the door.  
  
'What about the bodies? Your men?' Delphi stomped up towards where Dilandau was. 'You're just going to leave them there?' She yelled while throwing her arm behind her, motioning to the bloody battlefield.  
  
'Yes. Unless you want to carry their bodies back.'  
  
'You're such a heartless bastard.' She suddenly felt stinging in her cheek. Dilandau didn't say another word to her, just left through the door. Delphi just stared unfeelingly at his back.  
  
*****  
  
Well, please tell me what you thought of the chapter.........ok!  
  
Thank you  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses 


	9. Past The Mission

Past The Mission  
  
In the spring, you will bloom,  
  
Like her heart, through the blouse,  
  
In the back of the ambulance,  
  
As it turned and turned in the streets  
  
One more turn won't you come back to me?  
  
As it turned on its red lights,  
  
You were turning into red roses  
  
But I'm not giving up.  
  
It was a long trip back and everyone was tired, although no one really showed it. Delphi, however, was feeling under the weather ever since her spill into the water. She was feeling very light headed and couldn't focus on anything that was around her.  
  
The only thing that she felt was the slight bobbing from the horses steady trotting. Her head was rolling around ominously as if she was about to break her neck and her eyes were threatening to close. While the rest of the group was getting farther and farther away, she seemed to be sitting on a horse that was walking in circles. She closed her eyes and fell forward, leaning on the horse's neck and quite close to falling off.  
  
Sitting up she noticed that the sky had turned to a dark grey hue and everyone was out of her sight. She turned the horse in a complete circle but everything was the same.  
  
'Hey' she shouted, as loud as she could muster. 'Can anybody hear me? Chesta? Lord Dilandau' She grasped onto the horses mane a little tighter and continue to hold on while it trotted in an unknown direction.  
  
'You led them right to us' came a cold and heartless voice. Delphi felt wave after wave of shivers go through her body at the sound of the icy tone.  
  
'You're not going to live through this one' came another just as icy and heartless as the first.  
  
Alas, came a third cruel and callous voice that whispered harshly, 'You're such a bad little girl.'  
  
'Stop that! Who's there! Show yourselves!' Delphi shouted and stopped the horse. She spun the horse around in circles and looked all over the vacant field and saw no one.  
  
'You plan to save everyone?' the first unkind voice asked mercilessly. Delphi craned her neck around but there was nothing there but the darkness that was starting to take its toll on the empty field and her.  
  
'You cant even save yourself' said the first chilling voice.  
  
'Weak' One voice snapped out harshly.  
  
'Not with that pedant of yours' the third laughed malevolently.  
  
'Foolish child!'  
  
'Little girl!'  
  
'Rat!'  
  
'Atrocious'  
  
'Abject'  
  
'Despicable'  
  
'Unthinkable'  
  
'You led them right to us' one said.  
  
'You led them right to us!'  
  
'You led them right to us' a second and third echoed.  
  
'Now you'll be sorry,' the iced voice said and the voice showed his ghastly face right in front of Delphi's. 'Try and recover from this one.' He said and went through her, disappearing. The horse reared on its hind legs and Delphi fell off, landing harshly on the ground as it ran in the first chosen direction.  
  
She started to see double as the three remaining dead soldiers circled around her, chanting something barley audible.  
  
'Get away from me.' She yelled, sitting up and trashing her arms when suddenly she just fell backwards, eyes closing.  
  
Delphi opened her eyes and everything was opaque. Light engulfed her but it was still hard to see. She wasn't able to think straight and when she tried to sit up from wherever she was sitting she and a really hard time and wavered. She grabbed the edge of the cool table she was sitting on with one hand and rested her head in her other hand, closing her eyes and letting darkness seep into her mind.  
  
She opened her eyes again when she started moving and then found her self falling towards the floor in a fast pace. She tightly shut her eyes as if to stop the impact but none came. When she opened her eyes she was standing the middle of the room. Something ran across her sight and she shook her head with the fear that she was going completely crazy and then turned around to try and see the rest of her surroundings.  
  
She saw everything sideways almost like her head was tilted. When she felt something warm, yet cool against her face she realized that she was on the floor, cheek in her own warm blood. She pushed herself up off of the floor into a sitting position and wiped the blood off her cheek onto her shirt.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move but didn't turn her head fast enough to see what it was. She couldn't find a voice to speak and so she just stood up and hung on to the closed thing, another table, shorter than the first and wood. She slid her hand across the table when something hit her leg but she forgot all about it when she found that she had just gotten a sliver.  
  
'Ouch.' She mouthed as she tried to see where it went in to take out when she heard heavy breathing behind her. She whipped around and there was a huge dog bearing its teeth at her. Delphi spun around and the animal lunged itself at her digging its teeth into her shoulder, both falling to the floor. Finally she found her voice and a blood-curdling scream obtruded from her throat.  
  
She struggled with the beast for several seconds when she saw another one approaching. She brought her fist up and tried to knock it off her but she had no such luck. The first animal released her shoulder and ran off but the second still advanced threateningly. Whimpering, Delphi held her bloodied wounded shoulder and looked behind her. Once again there was that blinding light, but this time some thing walked out and the animal was suspended in mid-stride, frozen.  
  
The being looked Delphi in the face and suddenly she realized that it was herself she was looking back at.  
  
'Wake up, or you're going to die.' The voice sounded distant and the ache in her arm was making her lightheaded at the moment.  
  
'I said wake up' the voice was getting closer. 'Wake up'  
  
'Wake up, Delphi' it said. Delphi closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her eyes the animal was making a charge at her. Delphi did her best to cover her face and screamed.  
  
'WAKE UP!'  
  
Delphi opened her eyes to a bright summer sun. Her shoulder was sore and her head was throbbing but she wanted to sit so she tried, but it was too painful and she moaned in protest.  
  
'You're awake, finally.' Said a voice that Delphi recognized.  
  
'Dad?' She asked when the face of her father came into view.  
  
'What?' the voice asked a little surprised. 'I'm Chesta' Delphi blinked and then the summer sun faded into pastel firelight and her father dissipated into the pale skin and slender face of Chesta.  
  
'Sorry' she whispered.  
  
'What happened to you?' He asked. 'We didn't even realize you fell behind for a while we imagine because when we found you, you were, well, like that.'  
  
'I know, I'm sorry.' Chesta walked over to her and helped her up.  
  
'So, what happened?' He asked.  
  
'I don't know. I couldn't get away from them, they were everywhere.' She looked down at her hands.  
  
'What were?'  
  
'Ghosts.' She answered.  
  
Chesta just looked at her. 'I think you might have hit your head pretty hard, you're talking nonsense.' He answered  
  
'What?' she asked quite sharply. He took his glove off and rested the back of his hand against the skin on her forehead. 'I think you may be coming down with a fever, you should rest.'  
  
'Why don't you believe me?' 'Rest now, seriously.' He said and then helped her back down on the bed.  
  
'Why don't you believe me, Chesta?' she asked, looking at his back.  
  
'I don't think ghosts could have done this to you, these were don't by animals.' He said.  
  
Something flashed through Delphi's head when Chesta said the word 'animals'. She saw herself on the floor with a huge dog biting her shoulder.  
  
'Big dogs, things, I don't know what they were but they were really big and they tried to eat me. One bit me on my shoulder.'  
  
'What?' Chesta remembered when he was in Folken's lab and a huge animal that resembled a dog attacked him. Folken had killed it and the sorcerers stepped in, they were experimenting on them or something.  
  
'Just go to sleep ok.' Chesta said and then left the room.  
  
'I don't want to sleep' she said but he didn't hear her. She just started at the ceiling for as long as she could but then, without realizing it, sleep clouded her eyes.  
  
All right, started this chapter a while a go and only finished the last half now. Hurrah! Ok, um please tell me what you think about this chapter ok...! You know give me a shout if you think it's getting to stupid or something or if I should continue or not. Now if in fact that part above made any sense to anyone, congrats, uh.........well, thanks for reading and please review.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses - 


	10. Precious Things

Hello all, A little note from yours truly...the author of this illogical nonsense: To begin, there seems to be confusion in the previous chapter with the dogs. I don't know if anyone remembers the dog-like animal that attacked Chesta in the previous chapter? But that's what it was. It was like a dream but she actually got hurt in her dream! Man I suck!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Precious Things  
  
He said you're really an ugly girl  
  
But I like the way you play  
  
And I died  
  
But I thanked him  
  
Can you believe that sick, sick  
  
Holding on to his picture  
  
Dressing up every day  
  
I want to smash the faces  
  
Of those beautiful boys  
  
Those Christian boys  
  
So you can make me cum  
  
That doesn't make you Jesus  
  
Delphi slept all through the afternoon, and the whole night right through to the next afternoon where she awoke strangely refreshed and quite hungry.  
  
'Awake finally, I was wondering when you'd come to' said a man whom Delphi didn't really recognize very well.  
  
'How long have you been wondering for?' Delphi asked pushing herself up into a sitting position.  
  
'At least twelve hours.' the man said simply.  
  
'Really?' she asked stunned. 'Well,' she said lightly. 'How long have I been out then?'  
  
'Oh I don't know. I'd say a good twenty-four hours or so.'  
  
Delphi smiled slightly and jumped out of the bed she was sitting in. 'Where are my clothes?' She yelled when she realized she was only wearing panties and her tank top. She ripped the sheet off of the bed and covered herself up.  
  
'Listen you perverted freak, give me my clothes or-'  
  
'Oh-'droned a voice from the door. 'I guess the whole ship knows your awake now from the way you're screaming.' Delphi faced the doorway and instantly recognized the snide expression of Dilandau right away.  
  
'I see you're holding some clothes. Perhaps it would be prudent to let me have them now, instead of me making a ruckus later.' She said knowingly.  
  
'Indeed... but I don't once remember anyone saying they were for you at all.'  
  
'Just– Give me those' Delphi's voice started to rise with sudden anger.  
  
'Here' Dilandau through them on the floor near her feet. Delphi glared at him momentarily before flopping towards the floor and picking them up.  
  
'Thank -you' she snarled and started to pull up her pants.  
  
'It's great you two get along.' The man said sardonically.  
  
'Folken, you should learn to lighten up.' Dilandau said and left the room. Folken looked behind him at Delphi who was throwing the sheet back on the bed.  
  
'How do you feel?' he asked her.  
  
'How do I feel?' She repeated, and without thought she answered, 'fine I suppose.'  
  
'Strange at all?'  
  
'Well, that all depends on the level of 'strange' you're talking about. I mean I almost died a couple of days ago. Of course I feel a little strange.' Delphi was pulling on her boots.  
  
'Here.' Folken held out a sword. 'Dilandau expects you in the training room soon.'  
  
'Thanks.' she said and on her way out she slapped him on the shoulder as a friendly gesture; Folken cringed.  
  
'Sorry' Delphi shouted when she rushed into the training room and ran into the line beside Chesta.  
  
'Aren't you full of energy.' he whispered.  
  
'When you happen to be late, usually you don't make a sound unless you want to be caught.' Dilandau said turning around to face his group of slayers. He scanned them very quickly and spotted the uneven amount of slayers in the third row back and headed towards Delphi. He leaned in towards Delphi just centimetres away from her face and said, 'You're late' and quickly backed away.  
  
'I know I was but-' Dilandau struck her hard enough to send her to the floor, only she didn't, not one muscle, not even her head. Redness quickly found its way to her skin.  
  
All eyes were on Delphi who stood with her mouth half open ready to say something. Dilandau just stared at her, wondering if he really hit her hard enough. When he saw a bruise starting to develop he looked away and said, 'Soldiers. As I said, we are going to practise in a vast area. This place in on the edge of the forest. There are no teams, just you against everyone else. If you are in a position with another where you would die, then you stay on the ground until you're told to move. Last soldier standing is the greatest. Any questions?'  
  
'Sir?'  
  
'Speak.' Dilandau turned slightly and walked the across the floor towards the other end of the line of the slayers.  
  
'Will you be joining?'  
  
'No, that would just prove that I'm the greatest soldier.' Delphi rolled her eyes at his response. 'This is only about you soldiers, so get to the Vione. Now!'  
  
The soldiers started to file out of the training room and headed down to the Vione.  
  
'Can I get a ride down with you Chesta?' Delphi asked leaning over his shoulder a little to whisper in his ear.  
  
Chesta turned around with wide-eyes and said, 'I've never seen anyone take in a slap that hard before without moving before. I mean, he really gives them everything he's got.'  
  
'Well, it's strange. I really wasn't expecting a slap from Dil- Lord Dilandau. I just don't understand how I, well you know, anything than what I did do.' Delphi explained.  
  
'Okay move it you two.' Said one of the soldiers from the back of the line.  
  
'It's not our fault.' Delphi shot back. 'We aren't running the line. You just have to come to terms with the fact that there are more than just a couple of soldiers walking through this door.'  
  
'It wasn't a question.'  
  
'And it wasn't an answer.' Delphi shot back, her features were vacant and emotionless. She pushed her way in front of Chesta and through the rest of the crowd.  
  
'This is stupid.' Delphi muttered to Chesta as he climbed up into his Guymelef, although he chose to ignore her. A huge iron grip wrapped itself around Delphi and it jumped out of the Vione, following many others.  
  
It took about a half an hour for all the soldiers to get down from the Vione but when they were all down Dilandau said only a few words to them.  
  
'Pretend this is a real battle, don't make this easy on your enemy.' Dilandau dismissed them off with a swish of his hand. 'I think this is a dumb idea Folken.' Dilandau said, noticing Folken's presence behind him.  
  
'We have to see don't we? What would you rather do?'  
  
'Whatever.'  
  
Delphi roamed the forest, turning around ever so often, checking over her shoulder to see if anyone was sneaking up one her, and she was trying to be as quiet as a mouse about it. Delphi had not yet unsheathed her sword, too afraid that it will make too much noise.  
  
She wasn't sure how it happened. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that the boy behind her was as quiet as a spider hunting its prey. Still, she knew he was there and she spun around unsheathing her sword and stopping it inches from her face. She brought her foot up and kicked the other slayer in the gut, which caused him to stumble backwards. Delphi moved forward and pushed him to the ground completely as she lifted her sword high above her head and brought it down just above his heart. 'You're dead.' she said before fleeing once more.  
  
She walked slowly towards one of the new slayers and wrapped one arm around his shoulders and set her blade across his neck. The slayer sighed and complained, 'Ah man!' before falling to the ground. Delphi turned around again looking for anyone. The last thing she wanted was to fall prey to the people who mock her.  
  
Then she heard them: a couple to her right and a couple to her left. She knew that if she were to move at all they would find her. She sheathed her sword and grabbed hold of a thick branch about 5 inches above her head. She hoisted herself up and sat on the branch like a cat ready to pounce, hidden by the leaves. There were three of them in total. It appeared that they were of the elite squad and Delphi had recognized them to be Dalet, Gatti and Miguel.  
  
'So, going to get rid of the sick ones first.' Delphi thought. 'There aren't supposed to be teams.' When all three were facing the opposite direction of Delphi she quietly jumped down from the branch and hid behind the tree out of sight. Gatti turned around sharply.  
  
'What?' asked Dalet.  
  
'Did you hear that?' he said.  
  
'Here what?' Dalet asked again. All three stood very still and didn't breathe. Delphi took the time when they were talking to take out her sword once more. 'Come on,' Dalet said and pointed Gatti left and Miguel right. He stood there and waited for the soldier to run around the two. Delphi saw both of them advancing on the flat of her sword and as soon as they were close enough Delphi swung both of her arms out at full length and hit both soldiers in the nose. She ducked and swung her leg under Gatti's making him fall. She pointed the tip of her sword at his heart and then turned to block Miguel's attempt. With her left hand she grabbed his sword hand and held it in place, then she brought her right foot up and hit him in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground as well. Again she pointed the tip of her sword at his heart.  
  
'Out of all the slayers, I would have never imagined part of the elite group teaming up to get rid of the weaker ones.' Delphi said turning on Dalet.  
  
'Well, everyone want this over as quickly as possible, I know I do.' he told her.  
  
'Don't worry, it will be.' She ran towards him and her sword collided with his. He pushed he backwards but she remained on her feet. He came at her again with fierce vitality and without even thinking Delphi blocked left, right, left, and then ducked and rolled to his right where she stuck out her foot and caught the back of his knee. Delphi sprang back up and the sword was aimed at Dalet's throat.  
  
'You've lasted a lot longer than most, I'll give you that.' she said before running off.  
  
'Is that even fair?' Miguel asked, sitting up. The other two slayers just shrugged. Delphi found another nice tree to sit in and spy on passing soldiers. For what seemed like an hour, Delphi just sat up in the tree not moving. She didn't feel like fighting, she never felt like fighting. She knew there was something wrong with her when she woke up this morning and she felt perfect.  
  
'Ow!' she whispered harshly and pressed her palm on her forehead and shut her eyes tightly. Delphi couldn't see anything, only white and the outline of many bodies.  
  
'You killed the first one'  
  
'And the second.'  
  
'We need a new one.'  
  
'Shine that light over here.' Delphi felt something poke into her skin of her wrist. Not long after that the light ended up in Delphi's eyes and the she could no longer see anything at all. Just white.  
  
'Dad?'  
  
'What?'  
  
'I'm Chesta'  
  
'Sorry'  
  
'What happened to you? We didn't even realize you fell behind, for a while we imagine, because when we found you, you were, well, like that.'  
  
'I know, I'm sorry.'  
  
'So, what happened?'  
  
Delphi took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She removed her hand from her forehead and pulled the material from her wrist up so she could see it. There were a couple of little holes near the veins. The only person that kept flashing through her head was the 'Folken' character. She jumped out of the tree and violently unsheathed her sword. She sensed that the game was over, there was on one around for miles. Still, Delphi trudged through the forest in the direction where she knew everyone was. It wasn't long after that she started to hear voices and she knew that she was getting close to the man who could tell her just what the hell was going on and why.  
  
'Finally decided to show up huh Delphi.' sneered one of the lower ranking slayers. There was a bunch of hooting going on as she walked past, a bunch of the slayers teasing her because she late. Delphi, however didn't listen to one word that anyone was saying. She was focusing on the man standing behind Dilandau. As she approached she tossed her sword into her left hand and before Dilandau could speak she shoved him right out of the way with her right, making him stumble into a few of his slayers.  
  
Quickly, Delphi ran towards the man with the turquoise hair ready to attack him. Folken, however, pulled out his sword just in time to stop her barrage of attacks.  
  
'What did you do to me? What am I?' She screamed while continually smashing her sword against his. 'I am not your test subject! What did you do to me!?'  
  
'You would have died if we didn't' Folken said calmly while blocking her attacks. Dilandau suddenly perked up when he heard this. No one told him she was dying. Delphi stopped suddenly and backed away from him.  
  
'That's what you wanted. That's what you've always wanted. Isn't that why you enrolled me in this stupid slayer unit so I would get myself killed? Well? Isn't it? Why would you save my life when all you really want is the pendant?' Delphi fell to the ground and just looked longingly into the vast field of five-inch grass. 'Just kill me.'  
  
'Gladly' Dilandau said with striking anger.  
  
'No.' Folken stated while looking at the scene.  
  
'What?' Dilandau and Delphi said at the same time. Both started to yell complaints at Folken who didn't seem to be listening.  
  
'If you are keen on dying I may as well finish my experiment, seeing as how the first one had to die.' Folken looked towards Chesta, who looked towards the ground again.  
  
'Your experiment!' Delphi yelled in anger and leaped at Folken again with fierce rage. 'I am no one's lab rat! You hear me!' Delphi thrust her sword forward but Folken hit it and knocked it off course ad sent her stumbling behind him.  
  
Delphi stood up off the ground, head bent a little and eyes staring intently at Folken as if she was ready to pounce. 'I have had enough of your games.' Delphi ran towards him, her sword at arms length beside her ready to strike. As soon as Folken's sword could reach her he swung at her, Delphi gracefully ducked and moved to the left where she stood up behind him but before she was able to even scratch him, something hit her hard on the back of her head and she fell backwards on the ground. The last thing that Delphi saw was several slayers circle around her as things became hazy and then dark.  
  
Yeah, okay, I know, so maybe it's kinda stupid! But o well, I'm sick right now!.........  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses  
  
Hope you enjoyed! 


	11. Scars

To all readers… If I still have any since I'm taking so much time to post this, but seriously, I have so much work that I'm doing it isn't funny, not that it would be I suppose. Well, if I have any readers, thanks for still reading, it means so much to me and all your reviews and feedback are helpful and so wonderful. Thank you so much for your support! Enjoy the chapter! (I did this while writing up my dramatic arts homework! ) By the way, someone, by the name of star child said that there should be more "romance" between the two…so I tried and I'm not good at it lol! So read and leave a review saying your likes and/or dislikes… _hopefully_ no dislikes, but hey, I can't please everyone.

Thanks for reading! Yours Truly, Sweet Roses.

**------**

Chapter 11

Scars

I tear my heart open 

I sew myself shut

My weakness is that I care too much

My scars remind me the past is real 

I tear my heart open just to feel

-----

Delphi awoke to bright lights burning her eyes and being strapped down to another metal table made her feel like ripping apart who ever did this to her. She tried to remember how she got there but she couldn't quite figure it out. She remembered Dilandau saying something along the lines of a manhunt or a simulation and then everything up until now was blank. It was really starting to piss her off, the fact that she couldn't remember why she was now lying strapped to a table. The whole idea was completely foolish to her.

Delphi pulled at the restraints around her wrists but wasn't able to do much at all. She heard a soft sliding noise behind her and then light poured over her but it fell back again leaving with the noise. The once elongated shadow that stood in front of the light disappeared into the nothingness that surrounded her. Delphi then heard the slight tapping of boots, not sure of which direction they were coming from because the sound seemed to bounce off of every wall.

Delphi frantically started to struggle against her bonds. Her head, being strapped down as well, started to leave a red mark across her forehead. The feet sped up and soon Chesta's head was in the light above her head holding her down and uttering soothing words to her.

'Delphi, stop. Listen to me, I'm not here to hurt you.' He said. It took a minute before her adrenalin slowed down to realize that it was Chesta.

'No… no your not.' She said breathlessly. 'You're all against me, you just want this thing around my neck.'

'No. At first… maybe. But now, no.' Chesta whispered. He unclasped each of the straps around her wrists and ankles. They had dug into her skin and left detailed marks. Delphi sat up on the table and rubbed her wrists.

'I just... feel like letting go. I can't do this anymore. I mean, what am I fighting for?'

'What were you fighting for?' he asked with sympathy.

'Revenge? There isn't a point to fight anymore, no matter what I do; I'm always going to be someone's lab rat or a punching bag. Dilandau's right, I should just kill myself. Whatever reason he wants this pendant for he can have it.'

'No.' Chesta said sternly that made Delphi look up in wonder. 'Don't you see? This pendant was given to you, you are it's protector, together they can do great damage to the world.'

'Either way I'll be dead so why do I care. Every one I love is dead so I ask once again, why should I care?' her voice was hard.

'Everyone?' Chesta still asked in his soft voice, his stare unmoving. That one simple word startled her. She stuttered but found herself at a lost for words. Nothing she could say could describe what type of feeling the one word had put on her.

'Almost everyone I suppose' she confessed with a whisper. She unlocked her eyes and looked down at her hands, which were still rubbing at her sore wrists.

Chesta moved closer to where he was almost between her legs. She felt the heat from his body but she still decided to stare at her wrist. Chesta lightly stroked her face and gently made her look up into his eyes once again.

'Delphi,'

'Please stop' she shook her head free and once again looked away from him. Chesta nonchalantly leaned forwards and kissed her forehead. Delphi couldn't help but fall into him.

As much as she could deny anything she couldn't deny the fact that the pit of her stomach was filled with fluttering butterflies.

'Delphi I know this sounds asinine and you may think I'm just ignorant but I think I'm in love with you.'

'You don't know what that is.' She was sad and it was apparent.

'Yes, I do.'

'I don't love you.' It was cold, firm and painful, Chesta's hands dropped to his side and he stumbled back from the sudden revelation.

'No, I know you feel something, whether it's love or just need, I know you feel it.'

'Ches-'

'Don't deny it, you are the first person I have ever been in love with, and I know you feel it, you have to.' Chesta once again put his hands on her shoulder and pulled himself close so that her forehead was leaning on his chest. 'I would do anything for you.'

'You would do anything?' She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. She jumped off of the table, not leaving his eyes.

Chesta's face was filled with determination and worry. 'Anything.' He confirmed.

'Don't love me.' She said simply and walked away not knowing what else to say. She didn't want to hurt him, she didn't want him to love her, she didn't want to love him but she didn't know why. Chesta stood un-moving, gazing at her back until she disappeared behind the door.

------

Delphi had tears sliding down her cheeks, he was right she did feel something. She didn't know if it was love she was the one who didn't know what it was she has never been.

'You are truly magnificent. And you wonder why I'm intrigued by you?' The familiar voice chilled her.

'You don't know what you're dealing with.' She said.

'Do you?' he asked.

'Yes.'

'And what would that be.' He asked in the same tone as he started with.

'A psychopath, a little boy who is in love with me, a mad sorcerer who wants me as a lab rat,' she turned around to face Folken, 'a pendant which I have to destroy rather then protect. Believe me,' she said venomously and stared long and hard at him. 'I know exactly what I'm dealing with, so don't get in my way.' She turned around and wiped at her cheeks, ridding her cheeks of the stickiness.

'You'll be sorry the day you destroyed my life, cause yours is going to be turned upside down.' She continued her way down the hall towards the training room to claim her sword or at least take one.

She opened the door and walked into the darkness. She felt hate for everyone. She wanted revenge again. As soon as she heard the malicious voice she hated everything again, herself, Dilandau, the slayers. She felt like someone was searing her insides, felt like she wanted to die and wanted to live at the same time.

She looked around there was no one she was completely alone. No one else decided to train on their day off, although it really wasn't her day off she just got away from the lab where she was suppose to be Folken's piñata.

'I'm nobody's toy.' She could feel the stone around her neck cool rapidly but didn't think anything of it. She found the lantern and turned it up and the walls reflected it's warm glow. Yet it did not penetrate her cool skin. She turned on two more and decided to leave the rest, instead she walked over to a chest in the corner and opened it up. The metal smiled up at her as she reached in the box of goodies and pulled out a dagger and short sword.

'You want to see what I'm made of Dilandau. Do you need proof?' She held the dagger in her hand and the sharp side of the dagger of the inner upper arm. She pulled it across while clenching her teeth, soon after a small thin red line started to dye her skin and seep into the already blood-soaked world.

'If I destroy myself, I'll make so that you will not be able to use this stupid pendant.' She thought bitterly. She soon made twins of the lines causing red streaks to bubble above her skin and another, this one deeper.

'Delphi, I need to talk to you. So please-' Delphi turned around her arm at a ninety-degree angle and the knife in her other, the blood crawling to the tip with a sickly-sweet smile. She blinked repeatedly but still clutched onto the dagger.

Chesta ran over and shook her and made her drop the dagger. It shattered the silence for a split second as the blood splattered, and as she stared blankly at him he could only mouth the words why.

'I needed to see what I was made of.' She said as if she had just been found from being lost. She put one arm around his shoulder and leaned into him. He pushed her back.

'Stay here and don't move. I'll be right back.' He said gingerly as he sat her on the floor. She watched him leave and stared after him until he came back, holding some gauze. Upon walking back to sit beside her, her eyes followed him all the way as if he would disappear without her contact.

Chesta didn't want to ask her why; he had a sinking feeling that this was his fault. That he pushed her to such lengths.

'Why did you want to talk to me?' She asked curiously and yet almost casually as if nothing had happened.

'The cuts weren't deep enough that you needed stitches, thank god' he said. He handed her back her bandaged forearm and she set it down on her knee.

'Thank-you, but you didn't answer my question.' She was persistent.

'I wanted to apologize about earlier and how I treated you, if I had anything to do with this I'm so sorry.'

'What? This is, no, this has nothing to do with you.' She assured him.

'Why'

'I don't know what I was doing, I can't really remember doing it. I remember a hate burning up inside of me, the next thing I knew you were rushing towards me. I'm sorry if you thought that it-'

Chesta moved forward and held her face in his hands. They seemed soft to her, she didn't imagine blood stained hands could be so soft. She soon found herself wanting him to hold her again. Keep her from everything that she feels when he isn't around. She wanted to be safe, the need was so powerful that she crawled up into his arms and slowly Chesta wrapped him arms around her. She curled her arms around his waist and rested her head near the crevice of his neck.

'I don't hate you'

'That's a good step' Delphi shook her head in contempt, she didn't understand what he meant by that but she still held on in the shelter of his arms. She wanted to stay his forever, huddled in the corner of his protection.

------

Amazing that this took…. Months to complete but I was busy give me a break. At least I've wanting to write for the past few months. Well please leave me a review, thanks so much for reading.

Yours truly,

Sweet Roses


	12. Slipping Away

Chapter 12 Slipping Away 

I'm slipping away

In every way

I can't stay awake

And I don't know why

----

Delphi opened her eyes and she felt restraints on her wrists and ankles once again. Although, there was something different, the usually hard metal table had transformed into a soft mushy white bed. In fact the entire room was white and mushy and well lit with electrical lighting.

A door opened to her right and Delphi strained her eyes to see a man in a white lab coat flipping through some papers on his clipboard. His eyes looked at her through round spectacles, while he was still facing down at his board. He stopped sifting through the papers when he saw that she was awake.

'Ah, Delphi, among the living again?' His voice seemed sweet but under the coating it was vicious.

The man looked like he was in his mid forties or so, where his hair was starting to recede and go gray, wrinkles and so forth.

'What?' she said distantly.

'You've were out for quite a few days this time.' He said nonchalantly.

'What do you mean this time? Where am I?'

'Delphi, you're making this a habit. I thought I told you last time where you were. Pine…'

'Pine? What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?' She spat angrily. He moved his clipboard so that the small rectangular piece of metal was visible. Delphi strained her eyes to read the embossed printing on the gold plate.

'Dr. Vincent Reed' She read it as though she read it a million times and was bored with it.

'Delphi,' he started and then sitting down in the opposite her bed he finished his sentence. 'You're in Pine Crest Mental Institution.'

'Mental? I am not mental. What the hell is this about you freaks.' She shouted.

'Four years, almost five.' He reminded her, not listening to one word she was saying. 'You father, not dead, mother, not dead,' Vincent was spitting out the words as if he had them memorized. 'This,' he looked down at his sheet, 'Chesta character, doesn't exist.'

'Shut up! Shut up! _You're_ fucking mental!' She turned the whole conversation around and blamed Victor.

'Oh!' he pretended like he was hurt. 'You see, one night you tried to kill your mother for well, killing your mother. Your father restrained you, if you will, and well, he and your mother took you here.'

'My mother is dead, she died a long time ago and Dilandau killed my father.'

'Right, this Dilandau, you seem to speak of him often; usually about how much you loathe him.'

'What happened four years ago Delphi, can you tell me what happened?' He seemed to be interrogating her and she didn't like it. She knew this had to be one of Dilandau's tricks. She turned her head away from him.

'Delphi.' He said sternly. She barely knew him and already she wanted to claw his face off. 'What happened four years ago?' he urged.

'I… don't remember.'

'Yes, you do.'

'Remember the dragon?' He said 'dragon' so sardonically it reminded her of Dilandau and her temper flared once again.

'It sliced him in two' she said silently. 'My mother saved me; her pendant protected me out in the field. I didn't know it then but I know it now.'

'Delphi, I hate to remind you but you live in a city, in the middle of the city at an apartment with you parents, parents that love you. Parents who pray everyday for their little girl to get better so she can go home. Over the past four years, Delphi, strawhouse-ville didn't just turn into a big city.'

'Delphi, Delphi, DELPHI! STOP SAYING MY NAME WITH SUCH CONTEMPT.' She shouted and struggled against her bonds.

'Calm down Delphi, you'll get through this. I don't want to give you the needle.' He said calmly.

'Now can we continue?' He asked, and Delphi let out an elongated, audible sigh. There really wasn't much she could do but go along with it.

'Now I'm just going to start from the beginning.' Victor's voice was calm but it seemed to calm for the way he was acting earlier.

'Okay.'

'For about a year now, you have been coming and going. You are living in your mind; Delphi, your mother and father are still alive. Every time you come back into the real world you slip away back into your dream. You can never remember what we tell you. There are incidents that make your mind stronger and keep you in there. You have these conversations with yourself or with us, but you think we're someone else.'

'You're lying' she seethed.

'We have it on tape, some where it's you just talking with yourself at three in the morning.'

'It all really started when your father was 'killed' and your horse,'

'Kylie.' She said as if almost in a trance. 'My father bought me a new horse for my birthday, Damien, it died too.'

'You never had horses, but that was when your brain waves started to increase. When these soldiers came and raided your house.'

'Soldiers? Dilandau and his men, they want my pendant.'

'There isn't a pedant Delphi. Your mother gave you a pretend one, when you were little as a gift. She said that you used to play with all the time, saying that you were its protector. You ended up losing it.'

'No that's not right, these pendant was my mothers. I remember it clearly. I don't know how you got it off my neck, but its dangerous, just give it back to me so I can destroy it. If Dilandau gets a hold of it, he'll kill everything.' She was starting to get frantic. She could tell that the pendant was gone.

'Delphi all your fights that you've been having, were fights with the doctors and nurses trying to help you. You weren't using a sword or fighting other slayers. I remember one night you were trying to polish bed poles, saying they were swords.'

'Why are you doing this to me?' she felt tears in her eyes, but they stayed dry. 'This happened. This all happened, you're a doppelganger or something.'

'In your mind, you are brave, but your losing it. You have already lost it in reality, but in your mind people are after you. Folken.'

Her heart raced. She knew it. He was behind this. 'All those times, I fought…'

'With us.' He finished for her. 'What is so strange about your mind Delphi is you try so hard for it to be reality. You have dreams about your father's death. Your brainwave patters are really remarkable. They really shot up when you started talking about your pendant changing colors, I do believe its black now?'

'Do you think I would make this up?' Delphi said furiously.

'No, you are not well, what you make up is entirely because you are ill.' He assured her.

'I'm not ill. This is some trick; you are playing with me.'

'One thing that really sticks in my mind is when you were 'attacked' by dog-like creatures. Do you recall that situation Delphi?'

'It hurt me, a lot. That was real.'

'Somewhat. Your parents thought that you might want to see your dog, because you loved him so much but something made him mad and he attacked you. Bit you right on the shoulder he did. You needed eight stitches.'

'Chesta saved me again' she thought about when she was on the table and he was looking over her. He tried so hard to wake her up and he succeeded.

Vincent shook his head. 'In your mind you were dying, we didn't know why. Your father shouted to you telling you to wake up, for a second, only for a second. You said his name we all heard you. And then you were gone.'

'You don't convince me' although she was starting to go mad just talking to this man.

'Then the paranoia started. This Folken guy really scared you. You attacked nurses with pillows, spoons, and anything you could get your hands on. That is why you are restrained. You think that we're trying to kill you Delphi, we're just trying to help you.' A beeping sound echoed through the room. 'Time for you medication Delphi, now this time be strong.'

From his jacket he pulled out a needle and took the cap off. He pushed the bottom and squeezed out some of the liquid so that there were no air bubbles. He walked towards her. That's when she knew, knew that he was planning to kill her.

'Get away!' She screamed and started to struggle against her bonds. 'Help me'

'I'm going to need some help restraining her nurse.' A nurse and another young doctor came in. Vincent and the young man held her down while the nurse stuck the needle in her vein. Delphi started to cry and struggle some more even though the damage was done.

'Chesta' was the only word she could mumble out.

'No, there is not Chesta.' Vincent said, 'there is. No. Chesta, Delphi.'

'Chesta' She cried out again, this time louder. Vincent's voice became faint and her voice became faint. She continued shouting Chesta's name but was unaware of it.

'Your slipping away' was the last word that she heard before her eyes opened.

Her face was covered in tears and so was Chesta's shirt. She had her face pressed against his chest and her arms tight around his waist, his around her. Delphi's eyes were wide and searching the room. She kept repeating Chesta's name.

-----

Well, was it a dream? Or was it all … Real? Hmm? Please review.

Yours truly,

Sweet Roses


	13. Unreachable

Chapter 13

Unreachable 

_You got me crawling so bad_

_Got me heals over head_

_You got me easy you got me easy_

_Tangled up in my head_

_Quit trying to hold on to help me_

_Cause we're already beautiful_

-

Delphi couldn't shake what had happened in her dream, if it was a dream. It had been fortnight since, and she didn't think she ever would. She tried to occupy herself, but there was nothing to occupy herself _with. _She was always so undermined.So she sat in a vacant room wanting for the slayers to complete their session. She could hear steal against steal; it seemed to echo in her ears.

She had told Chesta to meet her in an empty room but not where. She needed to tell him something, but she didn't know exactly what she wanted to tell him. In the back of her mind she kept thinking that when he gets here, she still would have a vague clue of what she wanted to say.

What seemed like hours passed by and she knew this was an incredible waste of time. If she wanted to see Chesta she was going to have to go looking for him by herself. She didn't want to come of being facetious so she decided that she should quickly find him, and fast before he starts believing that she didn't really want to talk to him.

She hastily walked through the automatic sliding door and looked left, right and then bolted left searching for Chesta. She heard voices and it hinted to her that training was over. She ran for the nearest door but this time it didn't slide open. Delphi smacked right into it, falling on her butt and smacking the back of her head on the opposite wall with a sickening crack.

'Delphi, are you all right?' came Chesta's voice, intertwined with worry. Gatti was with him, and he just looked seething to see her. When Chesta turned around to tell Gatti to go ahead without him, Delphi stuck her tongue out childishly. When Gatti was taken aback, Chesta turned around to see why but Delphi was already looking the other way.

'What were you trying to do?' He asked as Gatti started in the opposite direction of the two.

'Trying to hide, I didn't know it was you.' She said. 'You weren't talking.' She stressed the 'you' and smiled slightly and raised her eyebrows.

'Well,' Chesta started while helping her up 'are you ok?'

'I believe so,' When she was fully standing on her own she swayed a little, not enough to fall but Chesta supported her anyway.

'Thank you' when she looked at Chesta, he was staring at her with very poignant eyes.

'What is it?' She asked.

'You're always so melancholy.' The simplicity of the sentence shot darts through her heart. She knew it was true, there were so many causes of her sadness but she tried not to show it. She always felt better around Chesta; Chesta was mostly in her thoughts.

'I'm… sorry?' the two words came out in a question, because she wasn't sure what he wanted her to be.

'Don't be sorry. I didn't mean it like that.' She was stabilizing against the wall with his hands on her shoulders. He edged forward. 'There is nothing to be sorry about, okay?'

Delphi nodded slightly. It was hard for him to understand what she was going through when she didn't even know. Chesta sighed slightly and brought their foreheads together. They stayed that way for minutes it seemed, Delphi had her eyes closed and was taking in the comfort and heat he was offering.

Delphi was the first to move. She tilted her head up slightly as Chesta stood up right. She shakily moved her hands up to his neck and laced her fingers, securing her hands there and brought his face down to hers where she made their lips meet. It was a very faint touch but it gave Delphi butterflies in her stomach. Chesta cupped her face and turned her head on a slight angle to deepen the kiss.

There was no sound of anyone coming but Chesta knew if he were caught he would be in a lot of trouble, especially with Dilandau. He put his hands on her waist as her tongue wondered across his lips. With slight force Chesta pushed her across the hallway to the other wall. He used one hand to search around for a panel and seconds later a computerized voice echoed, 'accepted'. The door in which Delphi had ran into slid open and Chesta guided her in.

Once they parted both panted for breath. It was very spontaneous but she wanted to continue. She noticed that they were alone in a very small quarter. It had a small table in the center of the room with wilted flowers on a doily. The bed was against the back wall and had a down comforter on, what looked like a quite comfortable mattress.

'Guest room' He answered her question without her even asking it. 'There are only a few of these. Normally we have them stay in rooms like ours.'

'We got lucky then didn't we?' Chesta looked at her seductive stare and before he could say anything she was kissing him once more.

She brought hands up to his neck and unclasped the top part of his uniform. One after another the buttons came loose until she shoved the top part of his armor off and let it fall to the floor. She then went for the padded armor, breaking the kiss to pull it over his head. The last piece of clothing on his upper was the same lavender shirt that everyone wore; she really hated the color.

Chesta pushed his tongue passed her teeth and soon Delphi felt weak in the knees and stumbled backwards. Not letting go of Chesta she fell right into the table knocking over the dead flowers and breaking the vase.

Delphi fumbled with his belt holding up his sword. When she finally got that off she placed it on the table. Chesta broke the kiss once more and he trailed down her neck and stopped at the crevice where he continued to suck until he left a purplish pink mark.

Delphi took in a sharp breath as he trailed feather light kisses back up to her jaw line. She pulled her back exposing more of her neck to him. She felt as if her heart was going to implode. She has never been this intimate with another person before. She has never kissed someone so passionately.

Chesta moved his hands from her waist and trailed them upwards. He stopped at the lavender shirt and looked at her questioningly. Delphi nodded and kissed him briskly before her shirt was raised over her head, closely followed by his.

Leaving the table the two slowly made their way to the bed, shards of glass crunching under their boots. They both fell on the bed with their legs hanging over, and both managed to rid themselves of their boots.

Chesta's hands roamed down to the rim of her pants and started to pull them off. Soon, she was lying in her bra and panties with Chesta over her. He was kissing and nibbling her neck as she tugged down his pair.

The whole experience was a blur to Delphi. Their synchronized movements and breathing seemed to throw her off kilter. She couldn't think straight, she couldn't see straight all she could do was silently whimper and dig her nails into Chesta's back. Suddenly, she felt like she was falling down an elongated spiral staircase, but felt no pain, only pleasure.

Both of them, now completely exhausted, feel asleep almost instantaneously. Chesta had found a spot and snuggled up beside her and Delphi put her head on his shoulder.

-

Chesta and Delphi parted early that morning. Chesta went to his quarters And Delphi just went into some spare room that opened for her (not the most comfortable however).

Delphi felt more alive then she ever had. Sore but still more alive. She felt like she had her cheek back, felt like she could take on the world when she got an urgent message that Dilandau wanted to see her in his living quarters. She shrugged and followed the messenger boy, whistling.

-

'Where do your loyalties lie, soldier?' Dilandau's voice was sharp. Chesta hung his head in shame, but didn't answer.

'Do _not_ be brave.' She snapped 'Do _not_ be tenacious with me.' His words were cold and strict.

'With you.' Chesta said dully. It was hard to say. He had to force it out. He knew his loyalties were with Dilandau, but he couldn't betray Delphi.

'Pardon?' Dilandau stopped and looked at the kneeling figure on the floor.

'With you, sir' he added.

'And…?' Dilandau seemed impressed at the way he was controlling Chesta's words.

'And no one else, sir.'

Dilandau once again paced from left to right and said quite casual. 'There is no room for love here,' Dilandau could hear Chesta stop breathing. He turned angrily and forced Chesta to stand up and look at him. 'So stop it.' It was very bitter. Dilandau squeezed Chesta's jaw and then shoved him back, when he immediately fell to the floor on his knees.

'Sir, I…' He started.

'Do not defy my orders soldier. I give you an order I expect you to follow it!' He shouted heatedly. Chesta looked up into burning, angry garnet eyes and soon found himself staring at bland concrete with a swollen jaw.

'This is not a negotiation. Now, Chesta, leave my sight.' He tuned around and Chesta got up and bowed before he left.

'Yes sir.' He tuned around while Chesta was getting up. He bowed before he left, even though he wasn't looking.

In the hall Chesta passed Delphi very hastily before she could get one syllable out. He didn't even look at her. She stopped but the message boy roughly grabbed her arm and shoved her into a spacious room.

Dilandau was standing in the near center of the room, his back to her.

'You wanted to see me?'

'Oh. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.' He was sounding very calm and this was a little unnerving.

'You know, you're quite the character. Nice slender body, not too bad of a chest.'

'Don't check me out!' she stated angrily.

Dilandau swiftly walked past her and punched a code into the door, but nothing happened. She shook it off as nothing. It was then she realized that malicious eyes were looking at her, although the face looked sincere. Dilandau walked playfully over towards her where he placed his hands on her shoulders and made her back into a wall.

'What do you want?' She pressured but he didn't answer. He seemed very fixated on her face.

'Can I make love to you?' He asked quietly.

In an outburst she screamed, 'NO! Don't touch me, get your hands off me!' She struggled against his hands that were keeping he pinned against the wall.

There was a silence and then a sickeningly loud sardonic laugh. It was then she realized that he had been joking.

'Bastard,' she whispered under her breath.

As if on cue, Dilandau pulled her forward and then slammed her against the wall hard. It was excruciatingly painful, so he did it again, until she cried out for him to stop. He turned her around and shoved her into the wall so her head was sideways and her back to him.

He moved in too close for comfort, smelt her hair and then licked her jaw line.

He flipped her around and pressed his lips on hers so hard that it most likely bruised them. 'It's what you want. Isn't it?' he spat irritably. 'Going around, seducing my slayers? This isn't a whore house!'

Fed up she kneed him in the stomach and tried to make a run for it but she didn't get as far as too steps until she felt herself falling forward. Her hands stopped on a hard piece of wood, which was discovered to be a desk when she opened her eyes.

Before she could do anything, she was spun around to face Dilandau once more. His fingers were around her throat, his thumbs slightly pressing on her trachea. He hands began to feel the desk for something, anything.

'Take a breath, swallow, I dare you.'

She came across a small drawer, which she gingerly opened and frantically felt around for something when the thumbs tightened. She felt something sharp and she pulled it out. By the time she had swung the dagger Dilandau had caught her hand and disarmed her, throwing her to the ground, but not unscathed. She had managed to give him a small, inch long horizontal cut under his left eye.

He felt the blood trickle down his face and laughed. Delphi shuddered. She was in a lump on the floor trying to maintain breathing.

'Funny how the precious jewel is evil isn't it, it doesn't want to save you anymore, it just wants to reside on your neck.'

'What are you talking about you imbecile?'

He kicked her side so hard she swore she heard a rib crack

'That, now that the necklace is useless in protecting you, I can do that.' He laughed once more, a cruel, high-pitched, insane laugh. He picked her up and then punched her in the jaw. Her head snapped to the side and blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.

'You're off the elite squad. You're not a slayer anymore. Go back to be treated like vermin.' He said nastily.

'Lucky me, it wont be a far jump from being one of your slayers.' She was once again leaning on the desk for support.

He grabbed her shirt and punched her face twice. She fell to the floor clutching her face. He kicked her once more, making her fall flat on her stomach. Walking over he placed on foot on her back.

'Whatever relationship you have with my slayer, it had best be over. Now get up.'

'No.' she said simply.

Dilandau kicked her so that she lolled over onto her back. He placed one foot on her neck and started press. Delphi grabbed his knee and pushed from the back, making him slightly lose his balance. Dilandau continued his barrage of attacks until he was finally bored.

Dilandau picked her and made her walk lazily to her new cell. It was large and vacant; mind a bed in the center. One of the walls was just a huge window previewing the land.

Delphi didn't even make it too her rock hard bed. She just collapsed on the floor. She was bloody, bruised and swollen; probably broken. She just wanted to sleep and forget any of this happened.

-

Lol I had to keep it somewhat unadulterated… pathetic, I know, but wtf, what can you do? Anyway, please tell me if it's 'so good' :) or 'so bad' :(

Yours truly,

Sweet Roses


	14. Upside Down

**Okay, this chap. has some fluffish stuff, so if you don't like it read to about half and then read the last ¼! OK! **

**Chapter 14**

**Upside down**

------

_I'm not surprised it's come to this  
Sooner or later there must be another's kiss  
Behind that kiss a promise of a life of bliss  
Yeah, great — I won't be taking the bait  
I'd rather drown_

_And I will not turn my whole life upside down_

Delphi awoke on the floor the next morning with only her head on the bed. She wasn't as stiff and she should be but she was relatively sore. Dilandau really put her in her place yesterday, and she felt like she needed to get back. Which, by the way, seemed like a stupid idea to her, but she had nothing better to do.

She started banging on the door of her cell, signifying her boredom and that she wanted to leave the cell… very much so.

The cell opened with an annoying 'hum' and there stood Dilandau, with fierce eyes, but a slight smirk on his face.

'What do _you_ want?' Delphi drawled.

'Come with me, and I'll show you.' His voice sounded elated and yet there was his brash attitude laced within.

'Whatever gets me out of this cell' Delphi muttered and followed Dilandau down the hall. She could tell where she was going; she had walked this hall so much. They were headed to the Training Room.

The door was pushed open and there stood all the dragon slayers, in perfect straight lines waiting Dilandau's next order, but by the look on their faces, they already knew.

'I took your advice. Now they have a target.' Dilandau chuckled and he slid the worst sword he could find towards her. Delphi picked it up and moved it around in her hand. She raised an eyebrow in contempt and heaved herself at Dilandau. He easily dodged her and in the process, shoved her headfirst into the wall.

She realized he expected her to do it because none (mind a few) dragon slayers flinched. Delphi shakily picked herself up off the floor and stood to face Dilandau. A drop of blood trickled down her forehead and that caught his eye and he followed it down all the way to where he met her eyes.

She trusted her pitiful excuse for a sword at him again, but still looking her in the eye Dilandau knocked the sword completely out of her hand. Shocked, she looked down only to meet the back of his hand.

Delphi staggered into the wall, clutching her already swollen cheek. Once again, to Dilandau's amuse, she got back up to face him only this time she pursed her lips together, wound up and slapped him right across the face.

Whatever smirk Dilandau had on his face was gone completely. The whole entire room was quiet. So quiet one was able to hear the silent breathing of Dilandau's jagged breath. Dilandau was about to say something when she raised her hand again and slapped him once again.

This time, Dilandau let out a small chuckle that only she could hear. His eyes looked down and the quickly back into hers. In that short second when they were apart they gained malice and fury.

Delphi flashed a small smile and went to slap him again when his hand shot up and grabbed her painfully by the wrist and twisted downward. He let out another small laugh and shook his head.

'Your antics are amusing, for a short while.' He said and pushed farther making her whimper.

Out of reflex she punched him. Out of shock he released her wrist, and Delphi took that opportunity to run out the door.

Dilandau wiped the small trail of blood that accumulated on his lip.

'Don't move… any of you.' He ordered and as he left he spit blood on the floor.

_Imagine everything you've done  
Under a microscope on view for everyone  
And if the king of circumspection's here  
He's come in vain — I won't be sharing the blame  
I wear the crown  
And I will not turn my whole life upside down_

_Nothing's good enough for me  
to shake me from complacency  
I've made my mind up and I'll never be..._

_The kind of man to make a choice  
For I hold my tongue, I'll never lose my voice  
If each attempted act of sabotage destroys all hope  
I won't be needing the rope I'm gagged and bound  
And I will not turn my whole life upside down_

Delphi thought it almost impossible that Dilandau was hot on her trail, but it was true. She tried to maneuver but it ended with Dilandau being the victor. She could hear his feet right behind her, she looked over her shoulder just in time to see Dilandau wrap his arms around her waist and throw her to the ground.

Delphi struggled against Dilandau and his weight but his arms were still around her waist and he didn't appear to be moving… at all. Delphi tried rolling around, and by her third try Dilandau flipped her on her back and straddled her. He had a slight red mark on each cheek where she slapped him and she gave a chuckle.

'You think that's funny? You know what else is funny?' he leaned down by her face and whispered in her ear. 'Do you want to know?'

Delphi felt a hand slide down her waist in a suggestive manner and her breath caught in her lungs.

'What are you doing?' She struggled rabidly against him. As quickly as his hand moved down it found its way to her shoulders and he slammed her against the floor. In a last attempt Delphi bucked her hips and caught Dilandau off guard sending him tumbling off her.

She scurried off the floor in a run, but Dilandau casually grabbed her feet and she fell to the floor once again. He crawled up the length of her body and rolled her over so that she was facing him. He bent down and whispered once again, 'So you like dragon slayers?'

'Wha…'

Delphi weakly punched him, but his response was a fierce kiss. Delphi was sure her heart had stopped for a moment and was completely dumbfounded as to what Dilandau was doing KISSING her.

Even though her head was spinning, her stomach had several butterflies circling around and around making her melt into the kiss even more. He released her hands and she instinctively went to shove him off, but she found herself sliding her hands around his neck and feeling the smooth skin that never sees the light of days.

He broke the kiss and Delphi opened her eyes and stared angrily at him.

'Don't touch me.' She warned but his lust filled eyes closed and she went for her jaw line and placed rough kissed down to her neck where he bit and sucked at her collarbone leaving a reddish hue.

Delphi scratched his neck and left red trails all the way to his ears. Dilandau grumbled slightly, found her mouth again but then got off her. He heatedly picked her up off the floor and shoved her toward the nearest wall where he started to explore her body more with his hands and running his tongue down and up her neck, making her shiver involuntarily.

Delphi unbuckled the top of his uniform and started to open it. She shoved him backwards and used all her force to push him up against the opposite wall, hard. They landed with a thud and Delphi went right to his throat and covered it with butterfly kisses, but harsh bites.

'Door!' Delphi panted and as they fought their was back across the hall into the, thankfully, vacant room. The door slid shut with a slight buzz and then he threw her up against it.

'Why… are you doing this?'

'Because you're not stopping me' He replied and bit her earlobe almost hard enough to make it bleed. Delphi took a sharp breath and tried to shove him off but she felt weak and once again, she found herself bringing herself closer to him so that their bodied were touching.

'I hate you.' She said lightly.

_And if the genie was set free  
And by the laws of things like that, he's indebted to me  
I'd bury my three wishes deep down in the ground  
So they will not turn my whole life upside down_

_Though I appreciate the aim  
Tell Andy Warhol's ghost that he can keep his fame  
I'd only use it to make everything the same again  
So don't applaud 'til the end when I'm not around  
'Cause I will not turn my whole life upside down_

_Nothing's good enough for me  
To shake me from complacency  
I've made my mind up — I won't make a sound  
And I will not turn my whole life upside down  
I will not turn my whole life upside down_

'And here you are…' Dilandau coaxed.

'Like I have a choice… ' She snaked her hands behind his head and closed the gap between them and pushed her tongue into his mouth and tried to gain dominance over his, but was dominated.

Dilandau pulled away and when he felt completely satisfied over the control he had over her he looked her straight in the eye with a cocky smile.

With one hand her had Delphi by the throat and with the other hand he had a small dagger point pressing up against her stomach. Delphi gasped; once again she was under his power.

He started to push the point harder against her stomach and emitted a slight peep from her.

'Don't think I don't know what's going on, Delphi. I'm not stupid.' He said through slightly parted lips. He leaned in really close so that she could feel his hot breath on her face. She turned her head but her forced her to look at him.

'Its true that you pendant doesn't protect you anymore… fate? Perhaps… but then what was the point of this entire charade if it was fate. Why did the God's mock me if I was supposed to have the necklace and become a god myself.'

Dilandau released her and she fell to the floor. He turned away, still talking. 'I could… no I _will_ be the God of War. I will take over every country there is and soon they will obey my every order.' He chuckled and then sharply turned to look at the heap on the floor. 'But first…'

'First…I have to get rid of you…' He picked her up and shoved her up against the wall again. He wrapped on hand around her necklace and pulled violently until it snapped off. Then without waiting to seconds, he pierced her skin with the jewel-encrusted dagger slowly so that she cried out in pain. Involuntarily she leaned on him for support. Dilandau simple pushed the dagger all the way in then back out again, letting her fall to the floor.

She heard him spit on her then walk away. His footsteps seemed to echo though the room and the hum of the door opening was defining. Everything started to go black so Delphi closed her eyes.

OMG ONE MORE CHAPPY 2 GO!1 then it is complete…. It will be the second fic I finished! Woot! I mean…. W/e

PLEASE FRIGGIN REVIEW!

Yours truly

Sweet Roses


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